Taking the Initiative

"Boss Wu Hai, are we almost there?" a young man asked impatiently.

"Almost. Once we pass this bend, we should be there. You all did well on this journey, clearing out everyone who spotted us. We've basically succeeded in the bulk of this operation! All that remains is to harvest the Crimson Flame Lotus!" Wu Hai, at the ninth level of the Qi Refining Stage, said with a smile.

Hearing that they were nearly at their destination, everyone grew excited. That was two or three hundred stalks of Crimson Flame Lotus; if they successfully harvested them and handed them over to the Lin Clan, they would surely receive an extremely generous reward, and they wouldn't have to worry about cultivation resources for the next few years.

"Hm? Someone is here?" As they turned the corner, the group immediately saw two figures standing at the end of the path. These two were small and thin, clearly just children, yet the position they stood in completely blocked the narrow passage.

"Did someone beat us to it?" Wu Hai's expression darkened. "Move!"

As soon as he spoke, Wu Hai charged out first. His ninth-level Qi Refining Stage cultivation erupted, and no one could match his speed.

It's time to go all out! Qin Lang thought to himself. Watching the tall figure rushing toward him with intense spiritual energy fluctuations, he felt not a shred of fear. He stomped his foot, his entire body's spiritual energy exploded, and he charged straight out.

"Hm? You actually dare to run out and challenge me? Just a brat at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage—where do you get the courage to provoke my majesty? Die!" Wu Hai's face was cold; he had long since seen through the cultivation levels of both Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi.

One at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage, the other at the third—in his eyes, such cultivation didn't even qualify them to trade blows with him. However, wanting to reach the cave as quickly as possible to check on the Crimson Flame Lotus, he chose to strike personally, intending to use thunderous force to kill them both instantly.

However, to the surprise of both Qin Lang and Wu Hai, Bu Lianshi, at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage, did not stand her ground to defend. Instead, the moment Qin Lang charged out, she rushed out with him, then said in a low, faint voice, "Brother Qin Lang, I will handle the defense. You just focus on attacking!"

Qin Lang glanced at Bu Lianshi in surprise. He didn't know where his companion found the confidence to say such a thing, but he chose to trust her. He quickly adjusted his attack method, pouring all the spiritual energy he had originally reserved for defense into his offense, no longer caring how Wu Hai's attack might strike him. All he had to do was attack.

He knew clearly that in a battle like this, if Bu Lianshi failed to defend against the opponent's strike, he would likely be severely wounded or even killed in one hit. Yet, he chose to trust her, no matter how ridiculous that trust might look to outsiders.

Defending against a full-force strike from a ninth-level Qi Refining Stage cultivator with only third-level strength? Was this a joke?

"Hmph, two brats who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth. Today, I'll let you know what a gap in strength really is!" Wu Hai sneered, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes. He hadn't attained his current cultivation and status by being soft-hearted; on the contrary, the number of people who had died by his hands was countless. His achievements were built entirely upon mountains of corpses and seas of blood through any means necessary.

The eleven men behind Wu Hai let out soft sneers upon seeing the two brats at the third and fourth levels of the Qi Refining Stage charge out. Such cultivation was beneath their notice, let alone when their boss, Wu Hai, was striking personally. This was no longer a question of whether they could win, but whether they could kill the two in a single blow.

The distance between the three closed rapidly. Wu Hai's fist was raised high, emitting a faint glow from the condensed spiritual energy—it was nearly at the level of externalizing that energy. If this blow landed, Qin Lang would almost certainly be dead.

Just as the fist was about to smash into Qin Lang's undefended chest, a bizarre scene occurred. Both Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi, who had been preparing to attack, suddenly withdrew their hands and began rapidly forming hand seals in front of their chests.

"Hm? This is..." Seeing their strange actions, even though Wu Hai felt surprised, he still believed that two brats with such low strength couldn't possibly possess any technique capable of threatening him. Thus, his fist continued toward Qin Lang without the slightest hesitation.

However, the next moment, Bu Lianshi finished her hand seals first. A flash of spiritual light appeared on her beautiful face, and the moment it emerged, it converged toward the center of her brow. The next instant, the center of her brow suddenly split open, and a golden bronze mirror shot out, blocking directly in front of Wu Hai's fist.

Clang!

A deafening, massive explosion echoed throughout the entire cave. After blocking the strike, the golden bronze mirror was sent flying, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of Bu Lianshi's mouth. But, without a doubt, she had intercepted the full-force strike of a ninth-level Qi Refining Stage cultivator.

"What... how is this possible..." Wu Hai stared in shock at the golden bronze mirror he had sent flying, his face full of disbelief.

"That is..."

"That golden bronze mirror is..."

"This... could it be a Dharma Treasure??"

Everyone's gaze locked onto the golden bronze mirror, staring dumbfounded as this incredible scene unfolded.

The next moment, Qin Lang finished his hand seals as well. Like Bu Lianshi, his spiritual energy rapidly converged at the center of his brow. Then, his brow also split open, and a purple lightning bolt flashed out—so fast that no one could perceive it. In an instant, it pierced through Wu Hai's chest.

"Oh no, it really is a Dharma Treasure. Both of those brats have Dharma Treasures protecting them..."

"Quick... save the boss..."

The eleven men who had been watching the battle leisurely woke from their stupor and rushed forward toward the high-flying Wu Hai.

After this strike, Qin Lang's face turned deathly pale, as if he were completely drained, with sweat streaming down his forehead like a small brook.

Bu Lianshi and Qin Lang exchanged a look and smiled at each other. It turned out they weren't the only ones with a hidden trump card!

"I defend!"

"I attack!"

The two instantly clarified their roles, retrieved their Dharma Treasures, and retreated rapidly.

Wu Hai's body was caught by his subordinates who had rushed up, but a massive puncture wound had appeared on his left chest near his shoulder. If Qin Lang's cultivation hadn't been too weak to control the Dharma Treasure's attack properly, this strike would have been enough to kill Wu Hai. Unfortunately, it was off by just a hair, allowing Wu Hai to survive.

"What a pity... that was our only chance..." Qin Lang said to the distant Wu Hai, his face pale.

The two had consumed half of their spiritual energy in that exchange of attack and defense; it was nearly impossible for them to launch such an attack again. Moreover, now that the opponent knew their methods, how could they possibly give them another chance?