"Boom! Boom!!!"
Another chain of thunderous explosions rang out. The golden barrier shattered and vanished, but only four or five fireballs remained.
Carrying their remaining power, the fireballs bombarded the red silk one after another.
Yet the power of low-grade first-tier spells was ultimately insufficient to shake a mid-grade defensive magical artifact, and they were blocked.
They left only a few scorched marks and several clusters of flame burning across the silk's surface.
With a flash of red light from the silk, the flames turned into wisps of black smoke and went out.
Three long serpents of flame followed close behind, each equivalent to a late Qi Refining cultivator's full-powered strike with the Fire Serpent Technique.
Following the fireballs' path, the fiery serpents lunged straight at the red silk.
"Sizzle, sizzle."
The instant the two collided, the red silk was blasted backward some distance.
The red radiance on its surface flickered once, then vanished completely, and the silk itself began to burn.
The defensive magical artifact was clearly on the verge of giving way, about to be destroyed beneath the fiery serpents' flames.
The cultivator in scholarly robes finally lost his composure and stopped channeling magical power into the small oval mirror.
Perhaps he had exhausted his tricks, like a donkey with nothing left but its feeble kick, and had no other magical artifacts.
He could only move both hands in rapid succession, casting two small-scale Cloud and Rain Spells on the burning red silk in hopes of easing the defensive magical artifact's plight.
"You forced my hand!"
Then a vicious look flashed across the scholarly-robed cultivator's face. He swept both hands over his storage pouch, took out several talismans, and swiftly activated them.
They transformed into a bolt of blue lightning and several icicles, shooting toward Liu Yu.
Hidden among them was an utterly inconspicuous round bead-a Fire-Thunder Pearl.
A disposable magical artifact of extraordinary power, the Fire-Thunder Pearl was a trump card the scholarly-robed cultivator had obtained only with great difficulty and at considerable expense.
Even a late Qi Refining cultivator could lose his life and have his Dao extinguished through a moment's carelessness!
The scholarly-robed cultivator understood that the critical moment had arrived.
Hardening his heart, he unleashed the powerful Thunderstrike Talisman and Fire-Thunder Pearl together, hoping to kill this formidable cultivator, who had been playing the pig to devour the tiger, in a single stroke.
From skulking in concealment to displaying considerable strength, this seemingly ordinary cultivator had made him dare not underestimate him again!
The instant the scholarly-robed cultivator stopped supplying magical power, the mirror light covering the Golden Dragon Sword vanished as well.
In the next moment, the Golden Dragon Sword blazed with spiritual light. Its internal spiritual energy resumed circulating, and its power surged.
"Hum, hum."
Liu Yu keenly sensed the change in the Golden Dragon Sword. Waves surged across the lake of his heart, and his killing intent soared!
Magical power churned through his dantian and meridians, pouring into the Golden Dragon Sword without reserve. With his divine sense, he directed the newly empowered sword through sweeping cuts and downward slashes, exploiting every bit of his offensive advantage.
In the night sky, two streaks of light, one golden and one azure, collided rapidly, exchanging more than a dozen blows in a single breath.
The azure light could not withstand the assault. It grew dimmer and dimmer, already teetering on the brink of collapse!
Meanwhile, the Giant Wood Sword fought two opponents alone, taking the offensive and denying the ruler-shaped magical artifact and small yellow fork any chance to lend support.
The Thunderstrike Talisman was a supreme-grade first-tier talisman renowned for its immense power, its spell might unrivaled within the Qi Refining Period.
Liu Yu had been watching his opponent's movements at all times. Seeing the scholarly-robed cultivator actually unleash a Thunderstrike Talisman, he dared not show the slightest carelessness.
He slapped his storage pouch and took out two Vajra Talismans, turning them into golden Protective Shields around himself.
Then he controlled the Black Tortoise Shield, enlarging it to ten feet across and positioning it before him.
Just as the attacks were about to arrive, his divine sense, slightly stronger than that of a late Qi Refining cultivator, suddenly detected the Fire-Thunder Pearl hidden among them.
This is bad!
Liu Yu's heart jolted, and his pupils contracted to pinpoints.
Although he did not recognize what it was, instinct told him something was wrong. Without a second thought, he curled his body behind the Black Tortoise Shield.
"Bang! Bang!"
Several icicles struck the first golden barrier almost simultaneously.
Ripples spread across the barrier, leaving it on the verge of collapse, but it ultimately held.
Before the fluctuations subsided, the blue lightning followed close behind and blasted into the golden Protective Shield.
"Crack!!!"
As though passing through thin paper, it easily shattered the first golden barrier, which could not delay it for even an instant.
"Crackle!"
Then the blue lightning flashed onward, striking the second golden barrier. That barrier lasted only three instants before breaking as well.
Without pausing, the blue lightning exploded against the Black Tortoise Shield with its remaining power, blasting its surface pitch-black.
However, much of its power had already been expended, so the Black Tortoise Shield did not suffer particularly severe damage.
"Boom!!"
The Fire-Thunder Pearl moved comparatively slowly, landing lightly on the Black Tortoise Shield like an ordinary marble.
Then a deafening explosion suddenly echoed through the woods.
"Bang!"
A shock wave passed through the Black Tortoise Shield and struck Liu Yu's body.
"Pfft!"
His body was instantly sent flying, blood spraying through the air. He flattened the weeds as he landed, then rolled some distance farther.
"Cough, cough."
"Hiss!"
Liu Yu braced both hands against the grass, his chest heaving rapidly. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, having suffered substantial injuries.
Yet his eyes shone particularly brightly, filled with the resolve and decisiveness to kill!
He looked toward the Black Tortoise Shield. After blocking the Fire-Thunder Pearl's strike, its surface radiance had dimmed, a clear sign that its power had been badly diminished.
Enduring the pain in his body, Liu Yu gathered his energy and focused his mind, centering himself in single-minded concentration as he made the Black Tortoise Shield wobble back into position before him.
"Clang."
At the same time, he directed the Golden Dragon Sword to attack the small azure saber without pause, leaving deep sword marks across its blade.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
A short while later, the small azure saber finally failed. Its spiritual light abruptly dimmed, and it fell toward the ground.
Liu Yu's gaze sharpened, coldness mingling with killing intent as he sent the Golden Dragon Sword sweeping toward the scholarly-robed cultivator.
It spun swiftly around.
The Golden Dragon Sword surged forward with unstoppable momentum, a streak of golden light shooting through the night sky toward the scholarly-robed cultivator and his companion.
With even his final measures defeated, the scholarly-robed cultivator's expression changed drastically. Cold sweat drenched his back, and he lost all will to fight.
"Fellow Daoist, wait! Th-this was all a misunderstanding!"
"My wife and I are willing to compensate you! We'll agree to any demand, so long as you show mercy with your sword!"
Faced with the terror between life and death, the scholarly-robed cultivator was utterly frightened, revealing an ugliness he had never shown before, willing to pay any price.
He begged for mercy in a terrified rush, hoping to preserve his life.
The alluring female cultivator's face was pale. Her lips parted, but she did not know what to say.
The situation had changed so quickly that she could barely react.
In truth, these two were merely cultivators from a small lineage overseen by a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, and their spiritual roots were barely passable.
Usually, they relied on their lineage's backing to squeeze rogue cultivators, barely managing to cultivate to their current levels.
This time, seeking a Yellow Dragon Pill to help the alluring female cultivator advance, they had turned to evil thoughts when they lacked sufficient spirit stones-and kicked an iron plate.
Liu Yu remained unmoved by the pleas reaching his ears. At this moment, his heart was as cold as iron!
Only thirty percent of my magical power remains. I have to finish this quickly!
As the thought flashed through his mind, he concentrated and drove the Golden Dragon Sword onward.
"Riiip."
As easily as piercing paper, it tore through the burning red silk that still tried to block its path and headed straight for the scholarly-robed cultivator's skull.
Seeing that Liu Yu remained unmoved, the scholarly-robed cultivator hurriedly took out his last few talismans and erected defenses, hoping to buy some time.
At the same time, he opened his mouth, still wanting to say something.
But the Golden Dragon Sword lived up to its reputation as an outstanding superior-grade magical artifact. Treating the talismans' defenses as nothing, it broke through them with ease.
The entire process took less than a single breath.
Sword light flashed, and the scholarly-robed cultivator was hacked apart, leaving only blood across the ground and severed limbs and flesh scattered everywhere!
Dark red blood flowed, still giving off faint wisps of steam.
Looking at the ghastly scene before her, the alluring female cultivator covered her lips with her small hand, her beautiful eyes wide.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief, as though she could not accept reality.
My husband's spiritual root aptitude was ordinary. He only reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining when he was nearly fifty, with practically no hope of Foundation Establishment.
But he held a decent position in the lineage and skimmed off plenty of fat.
That was why I gave myself to him.
Over the years, my husband supplied me with many cultivation resources and sheltered me from so much wind and rain.
And now he's dead, just like that?
Recalling the past, the alluring female cultivator felt grief in her heart.
But the dead were already dead, so the living had all the more reason to live well.
My own life and death still hang on that man's slightest thought!
Seeing that Liu Yu had not immediately attacked, the alluring female cultivator's beautiful eyes shifted, glistening with tears.
Then she gently loosened her silken robes, revealing a glimpse of smooth, snow-white skin.
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