A Battle of Vastly Disparate Strengths

"Hmph! A cheap trick, and you dare act so insolent!"

Hao Youcai paid it no mind, his spiritual power surging in his hand as he grabbed at the Flying Sword. With his cultivation level, facing Lin Chen's attack was like an elephant watching a monkey brandish a spear and club—a flick of the trunk would settle it. And so it was: his spiritual power swirled into a vortex, blocking the Flying Sword in an instant. Yet the moment the sword was seized, it split in two. One half was caught in his grip, while the other turned into a bolt of lightning, shooting straight for his eye.

Hao Youcai had not cultivated to the point of being indestructible, and his eyes were especially vulnerable. Forgetting the sword in his hand, he frantically twisted his head and turned his face. The Flying Sword flashed past, its sharp aura grazing his eye and cutting it. Hao Youcai let out a miserable scream, then suddenly erupted with a berserk aura, flinging his hand toward Lin Chen. A fierce burst of spiritual power exploded into spiritual pressure, forming a wall of air that slammed directly at him.

However, Lin Chen had already retreated backward. The enraged Hao Youcai held nothing back; if Lin Chen hadn't prepared in advance—after landing his hit, a beam of light flickered under his feet to flee—that palm strike would have taken his life.

"You dare wound me? I'll kill you!"

Hao Youcai never imagined he would be injured by Lin Chen. His right eye now throbbed with piercing pain, having lost its sight. The intense agony drove him to attack wildly at his surroundings. Booms rang out continuously, but no screams followed. Clearly, he hadn't killed Lin Chen, nor even managed to wound him. Gradually, he calmed down, circulating his spiritual power to protect the injured eye and opening his left one. In the blurry vision, there was no trace of Lin Chen at all.

Just then, he felt a chill at the back of his head—a cold killing intent surging in an instant. "Shield!" His spiritual power exploded, forming a pitch-black light barrier that wrapped around him. Almost simultaneously, a loud crash rang out. Lin Chen's Flying Sword struck the barrier fiercely. Hao Youcai spun his head around abruptly. Blood streamed from his right eye.

Seeing his ghastly state, Lin Chen didn't pause his sword incantation. Spiritual power circulated, Spiritual Sense controlled. The two Flying Sword struck in relentless succession. Clang, clang, clang... But they couldn't break through the defense.

"Hahaha... you little beast, that paltry spiritual power of yours can't even crack my defense!" Hao Youcai simply sat down on the ground, building up a defensive barrier while circulating his technique to heal his injuries. He wasn't in a hurry because the escape route he'd chosen had a natural barrier that isolated sound transmission and detection. Even if they fought until the sky fell here, no one outside would know. This was also why, long after Lin Chen had crushed the Jade Slip, no reinforcements had arrived.

So, as long as Hao Youcai healed his wounds, he could have Lin Chen at his mercy. Most importantly, he wanted that Soul Origin Mirror. For that mirror, he was willing to kill Lin Chen, the examiner. And Lin Chen had his own plans as well. He wanted to extract more information from Hao Youcai. This guy clearly knew the inside story, even that the Small Mirror was called the Soul Origin Mirror. If he could take him down, many doubts in his heart would be resolved. Above all, his spiritual power could be spent freely—he had tens of thousands of Spirit Stones in his pocket, enough to wear Hao Youcai down to death.

Both of them shared the same idea. They launched straight into a war of attrition. Lin Chen's face showed no change, his heart unflustered; whenever his spiritual power ran low, he exchanged Spirit Stones to replenish it.

One piece won't do, then two. Two won't do, then three.

In short, his spiritual power remained inexhaustible, always at its peak.

He didn't even consider consumption; two Flying Swords moved like swift thunder, fierce as a raging storm.

Gradually, Lin Chen realized that the gap in cultivation made his spiritual power compared to the other's like a great reservoir versus a small ditch.

Trying to wear the other down was simply unrealistic.

"Why isn't Third Senior Brother here yet?"

After halting his frenzied assault, this question suddenly struck him.

Back then, Qi Ruming had told him that as long as he crushed the Jade Slip, he would sense it and arrive quickly.

Now, a long time had passed, and still nothing stirred.

Could it be that here...

He looked up at the sky, condensing his Spiritual Sense into a thread, probing far into the distance.

Soon, he discovered a layer of Natural Barrier, like a formation shield.

"So that's how it is!"

Lin Chen withdrew his Spiritual Sense and Flying Swords, turning to leave.

If he kept wasting time like this, he would be the first to die.

"Want to leave now? Isn't it a little late?"

Before he had taken a few steps, a cold voice came from behind.

A terrifying aura surged upward.

Like an erupting volcano, earth-shattering.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield of Heavy Mountain Path, Zhao Qingshan led his men, cutting down all enemies.

Due to the earlier explosion, they had also suffered heavy losses.

Three dead, eight severely wounded.

The rest bore minor injuries.

This was thanks to Zhao Qingshan's protective treasure, the Green Mountain Town Yuan Stone, which had taken effect.

Minimizing the casualties.

"These desperadoes, when they can't win, they self-destruct—what kind of nonsense is that?"

"If not for the Sect Leader's Green Mountain Town Yuan Stone suppressing the blast, we'd all have been blown to bits."

"Yeah, it's like these guys knew we were coming and prepared in advance?"

Among the crowd, some elders muttered under their breath.

"This doesn't add up. Lin Chen said he found Hao Youcai and led us here.

As soon as we entered, dozens were waiting for us, and at the critical moment, a massive explosion—how could it be such a coincidence?"

Just then, someone came to report.

"Sect Leader, the count is done. Hao Youcai is missing, and Lin Chen is also missing."

What?

Zhao Qingshan's face changed color. He looked at Ming Bufan among the crowd. "I told you to watch him. Where is he?"

"Master, the explosion just happened, and I rushed in—"

"Enough, explanations are useless now." Zhao Qingshan's face darkened.

He swept his gaze over the one who had just spoken. "And the rest of you—before you suspect others, think carefully. If it were you, would you do something so foolish?"

The elders lowered their heads.

Seeing no one answer, Zhao Qingshan continued, "Now, everyone search for me. If anything happens to Lin Chen, none of you will get any credit!"

"Yes!"

The elders hurriedly scattered to search.

Ming Bufan stayed where he was, a trace of guilt in his eyes.

He had clearly cared so much for this little junior brother.

But between his master and him, Ming Bufan had chosen the former.

At that moment, he hadn't even hesitated, leaving Lin Chen behind and charging in himself.

As a result, the little junior brother was lost.

Strangest of all, Hao Youcai had also vanished.

"Master, could it be that Little Junior Brother found Hao Youcai's trail and chased after him?" Ming Bufan asked quietly.

Zhao Qingshan stroked his beard, eyes closed. After a few breaths, he opened them.

He said with a strange expression, "I can't deduce the heavenly secrets—everything about Fourth seems to be shrouded."

Hearing this, Ming Bufan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Master, I know a place. There's a Natural Barrier there. Once you enter, it blocks everything, so you can't be traced..."

"Then why are we still talking? Let's go!" Zhao Qingshan grabbed Ming Bufan and shot into the air.

Lin Chen had no idea what was happening outside. At this moment, he was steering his escape light, fleeing like mad.

"You little bastard, stop right there!"

"You old coot, I won't!"

With the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle and his endlessly regenerating spiritual power, Lin Chen was moving fast.

Unfortunately, now that he was inside this Natural Barrier, he couldn't find a way out.

He could only wage a guerrilla war in the sky, harassing with his Flying Sword while maneuvering his flight.

"You really think I have no way to deal with you? Space, Imprison!"

Hao Youcai behind him let out a loud shout and casually tossed something into the air.

The object grew as it caught the wind, instantly expanding to cover Lin Chen's head.

Like a transparent giant cauldron, it inverted and came crashing down.

By the time Lin Chen tried to fly out, it was already too late.