The First Deathmatch

Chapter 22: The First Deathmatch

Bai Shu saw through Luo Mu's strength at a glance: third level of Qi Refining. To him, standing at the fifth level, such strength posed no threat at all, unless the opponent practiced a unique cultivation technique or possessed some formidable magical artifact.

However, looking at the other's shabby appearance, Bai Shu could not bring himself to believe Luo Mu was that type of person. Moreover, with his cousin at the fourth level of Qi Refining by his side, would such a lineup fear a poor kid like Luo Mu?

Bai Shu did not take Luo Mu seriously at all, and in fact, a murderous intent began to brew within him.

In truth, Luo Mu was currently caught in a dilemma. He had been too anxious about the safety of his Octagonal Spike. Upon arriving, he immediately saw his weapon trapped within a white light barrier. Being just a youth, his temper flared instantly, and he couldn't help but blurt out those inflammatory words.

Only when Luo Mu noticed the contempt in the other's eyes did he realize something was wrong. He released his divine sense to probe the pair, only to find it blocked firmly, unable to penetrate even an inch.

It was then that Luo Mu realized he had kicked an iron plate; the strength of both opponents was above his own!

Luo Mu was shocked and somewhat anxious, yet he did not let it show on his face, which remained unnaturally calm. He desperately reined in his emotions to force himself to be truly level-headed, for he knew that only by staying calm could he perhaps find a glimmer of hope for survival.

Sure enough, once he quickly regained his composure, Luo Mu discovered that although he could not discern their exact cultivation levels, the aura emanating from them was not significantly stronger than his own. A slight sense of relief finally washed over him.

"Your things? I'd like to ask, what here belongs to you? Is it this Soul-Falling Grass?" Just as Luo Mu was secretly alarmed, Bai Shu's icy voice reached his ears.

The tone made Luo Mu frown, for he clearly sensed the unmasked killing intent.

"The Soul-Falling Grass is indeed precious, and I do want it, but if you need it, Fellow Daoist, I am willing to yield. However, I ask that you release those three little bugs." Luo Mu said with a calm face and a flat tone.

"Yield to you? Does this young master need you to yield? In terms of strength, how many rounds do you think you could last in my hands? Besides, I was the one who discovered this Soul-Lost Grass, yet you claim you can yield it to me—you really know how to gild your own lily!"

Bai Shu laughed out of extreme anger, while the young girl beside him looked at Luo Mu as if he were an idiot.

This feeling of being despised made Luo Mu extremely uncomfortable. Suppressing the urge to strike, he spoke again in a detached tone.

"Release those three little guys, and I will leave immediately." After casting a lingering look at the Soul-Lost Grass and then at the Octagonal Spike within the barrier, Luo Mu spoke to Bai Shu with a grave expression.

"Those three demonic insects poisoned me, so they must die! Don't tell me these three insects are your pets. Hmph! The method of raising demonic insects is rarely known in the cultivation world; don't you try to swindle me, you poor brat!" Bai Shu's brows twitched as he looked Luo Mu up and down, then let out a disdainful snort.

Luo Mu, however, offered no further explanation.

"So, you won't release them?" Luo Mu said slowly, his voice carrying three parts more chill than before.

Although there were two of them, their strength was not much greater than his own. Furthermore, Bai Shu had just been struck by a potent poison; even if Bai Shu didn't mention it, Luo Mu, as a practitioner of minor poisons, could tell. Bai Shu might look fine now, but the spirit power consumed to purge the toxins could not be recovered so quickly, which significantly reduced his combat effectiveness.

Though Luo Mu was only at the third level of Qi Refining, he was different from the average cultivator. The opponent's repeated contempt challenged his nerves, sparking a desire to test the strength of his own Poison Spirit Power.

Besides, Luo Mu was not fighting alone!

"Not only will I not release these three insects, but I also have no intention of letting you walk out of this forest alive!"

As he finished speaking, Bai Shu slapped the storage bag at his waist, seemingly reaching for something. The girl beside him did the same, her fair hand darting toward her own storage bag. It had to be said that their coordination was quite impressive.

The moment they moved, Luo Mu was no slower. He reached for his storage bag, and after a flash of green light, the Poison Fang appeared in his hands.

A faint green gas emanated from the Poison Fang, constantly revealing a cold, sinister aura.

"A mid-grade magical artifact!" Bai Shu was a connoisseur; he saw at a glance that the Poison Fang in Luo Mu's hands was a mid-grade artifact. What surprised him was that a poor kid like Luo Mu actually possessed one.

In his clan, Bai Shu was considered a key talent of the younger generation, which was why he possessed a few decent mid-grade artifacts for protection. For other disciples with average aptitude, owning even one mid-grade artifact was considered quite an achievement.

He hadn't expected that Luo Mu, who looked so unremarkable, would pull out a mid-grade artifact right off the bat. How could Bai Shu not be shocked? Not only was he stunned, but the girl beside him also looked on in disbelief.

"Cousin, no need to act. Dealing with such a small fry doesn't require both of us to be so serious. Just watch as I take his life!" Bai Shu drew a curved blade, its edge shimmering with green light—it was unclear what kind of poison had been applied to it.

Hearing this, the girl, who had been holding a silk scarf artifact, indeed ceased her movements, seemingly having full faith in her cousin's strength.

"Then I shall watch as Cousin displays his might!" The girl smiled sweetly, speaking with an air of ease.

Bai Shu nodded and began to move his feet in a rhythmic pattern. His speed increased rapidly until he vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing behind Luo Mu.

Luo Mu was startled; he hadn't expected the opponent's movement technique to be so bizarre. Before he could react, the man had closed the distance, and the curved blade slashed down toward the top of his head!

Luo Mu tilted his body and neck, letting the blade graze his ear and strike his shoulder!

Clang! A crisp sound rang out as the blade was blocked upon hitting his shoulder, unable to penetrate any further. At such a critical moment, the inner armor Luo Mu wore had saved his life. Without it, Bai Shu might have severed his entire shoulder.

"Inner armor!" Bai Shu was equally shocked, not expecting this seemingly destitute kid to possess such a rare defensive treasure.

His curved blade was a genuine mid-grade artifact, and its sharpness was self-evident. That his attack had been completely blocked by the inner armor showed that the item was of no low grade.

While Bai Shu was stunned, Luo Mu performed an ungraceful somersault to put some distance between them. He watched Bai Shu with wary eyes; the opponent's elusive movement technique made him extremely cautious.

"Hmph! You really have quite a few treasures. It seems I truly underestimated you!" Bai Shu sneered, and after speaking, his figure vanished once more.

Luo Mu frowned, his divine sense fully expanded to monitor his surroundings. The opponent's movement was bizarre, making the situation highly troublesome. Suddenly, a gust of wind came from behind. Luo Mu was startled and, without a second thought, reflexively dodged to the side.

The curved blade appeared, slashing down along his arm, leaving Luo Mu in a cold sweat. Before he could think, the blade suddenly shifted from a slash to a sweep. Luo Mu couldn't dodge in time, and his arm was easily sliced open, blood spraying out instantly.

"Haha, you poor brat, just wait to suffer!" Having landed a hit, Bai Shu suddenly laughed out loud, revealing his figure and staring at Luo Mu with a look that said he was a dead man.

The girl on the side also showed joy on her face as she looked at the wound on Luo Mu's arm, the adoration and infatuation in her eyes toward Bai Shu growing even more intense.

Having struck Luo Mu, Bai Shu stood in place with a sneer, showing no intention of attacking again.

"I forgot to tell you: I have loved refining and concocting poisons since I was young. This curved blade has long been coated with my most prized toxin. Now that you've been cut, hehe! Do you feel your whole body going numb and unable to move? Don't be surprised; that's the effect when the poison takes hold. In a few moments, you can say your final goodbyes to this world."

Bai Shu sheathed his blade and spoke with a cold smirk. He had great confidence in the poisons he refined. He believed that with Luo Mu's third-level Qi Refining strength, he would be unable to purge the toxin from his body, which was why he dared to put his artifact away so carelessly.

Seeing Luo Mu's calm expression—devoid of anger or even insults—Bai Shu felt deeply uneasy. Every cultivator he had killed with his poison before had glared at him like a ravenous wolf, wishing they could drink his blood and pull out his tendons. Luo Mu's calm reaction felt wrong, yet he couldn't pinpoint why.

A moment later, Luo Mu did not die from the poison as Bai Shu had envisioned; instead, the bleeding from the wound slowly stopped.

"How is this possible!" Bai Shu exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

"No wonder you were so fearless after being poisoned; it turns out you refine poisons yourself, so you must have plenty of ways to detoxify, right?" Luo Mu shook his arm, stood up under the incredulous gazes of Bai Shu and the girl, and asked Bai Shu in a calm tone.

"Impossible... how can you be fine!" Bai Shu did not answer Luo Mu, instead shouting repeatedly. Always extremely satisfied with the toxins he refined, he never expected that today, on a third-level Qi Refining brat like Luo Mu, they would lose their intended effect!

His face turned cold, and Bai Shu drew his curved blade again, preparing to land a few more strikes on Luo Mu. He refused to believe that the poison he had painstakingly refined had no effect on him.

Just as he drew the blade and before he could strike, Bai Shu's expression suddenly changed drastically. A wave of excruciating pain surged through his entire body, causing his handsome face to twist in agony!