The young man of the Golden-Horn Race slowly raised his hand, condensing a golden spear in his palm.
With a whistle, he hurled the golden spear at Fang Ling.
Fang Ling abruptly turned and met it with a punch.
His iron fist shattered the golden spear, but he was also driven two steps back.
The young man of the Golden-Horn Race looked somewhat surprised.
"He's merely a human, yet his body is this strong?" Although he could not discern Fang Ling's cultivation realm,
he could judge his approximate age, which was what astonished him.
Of the hundred races, humans had the weakest bodies.
Yet this young man's body rivaled that of a supreme expert with an emperor bloodline, perhaps even surpassing it.
None of them could detect Fang Ling's true cultivation realm because he had cultivated the Heaven-Hiding Art.
The Heaven-Hiding Art had been taught to him by his master, Flower Thief. Its sole effect was to conceal his cultivation realm.
The young man of the Golden-Horn Race could not sense Fang Ling's realm, but Fang Ling could determine his cultivation at a glance.
This young man of the Golden-Horn Race was far from weak. He was in the middle stage of the Jade Balance realm.
That put him an entire major realm and an additional minor stage above Fang Ling.
"My name is Jin Buhan. I never kill nameless nobodies. State your name," Jin Buhan said.
"Fang Ling!" he said calmly, condensing his Life-Bound Blood Sword in his hand.
Empowered by Tongyuan's sword soul, the Life-Bound Blood Sword gave Jin Buhan a piercing sensation the moment it appeared.
"I never expected a tough fight right after waking up." He smiled.
"So be it. A perfect chance to stretch my muscles!"
"Have you ever heard of my Golden-Horn Race's great divine ability?"
He pressed his palms together, and a formidable aura rippled outward from him.
At the same time, his skin turned golden. At first glance, he looked like a man cast from gold.
"Hundred-Battle Body, eternally indestructible!"
"The Golden-Horn Race's Invincible Golden Body!"
He struck his hands together, producing a dull metallic clang.
Then he charged ferociously at Fang Ling, his footsteps so heavy that they shattered the hall's black crystal bricks.
Fang Ling swung his sword, but the sword light struck Jin Buhan without inflicting any damage.
In the gap between his swings, Jin Buhan had already closed in, intent on fighting him hand to hand.
"Die!" Madness gleamed in Jin Buhan's eyes as he swung a fist at Fang Ling's head.
But in an instant, Fang Ling vanished, leaving his attack to strike empty air.
He immediately changed direction and charged at Fang Ling's new position.
Yet several successive flurries of attacks all failed.
His strength was tremendous, but he could not even touch the hem of Fang Ling's clothes.
The feeling of punching cotton with an iron fist left Jin Buhan utterly frustrated.
"If you've got the guts, stop dodging and fight me head-on!" he roared.
"As you wish!" Fang Ling murmured, his killing intent surging.
The previously quiet Blood Sword also grew frenzied, like a starving beast released from its cage.
"Dragon-Slaying!" He leaped into the air and brought his sword down at Jin Buhan.
Unable to withstand the terrifying Sword Qi, the hall was instantly pierced through.
Sword Qi swept in every direction, shredding everything!
In the mine passage, the old woman and the White-Clad Woman were slowly exploring.
Suddenly, the old woman seemed to sense something, and her expression changed.
She immediately raised her hand and formed a blue barrier, shielding them both within it.
With a thunderous rumble, the mine passage began to collapse. At the same time, a surge of Sword Qi swept out from its depths, roaring past.
"Such powerful Sword Qi. Even its aftershocks have this much might," the old woman said gravely.
The White-Clad Woman looked relieved. "Thank goodness you reacted quickly, Granny, or I would have been in trouble..."
"What happened, anyway? Who's fighting?"
"Could it be that fellow from earlier?"
"I can't be sure, but we had best leave this place first," the old woman said.
"Young miss! My cultivation is limited. I might not be a match for whoever is fighting, so we must not take the risk."
"If it really is that fellow, he must be an heir of a sword cultivation clan," the White-Clad Woman muttered.
"Never mind all that. Getting out comes first!" Without waiting for her agreement, the old woman grabbed her and immediately left the Lost Ancient Mine.
Meanwhile, where the battle had erupted,
Fang Ling hovered in midair, sword in his right hand, silently watching the ruins of the collapsed hall.
Dust billowed throughout the ruins, obscuring whatever lay within.
After a while, Jin Buhan crawled out of the rubble.
He was utterly bedraggled now, his Invincible Golden Body broken and his body covered in dust.
A wound on his chest ran deep enough to expose bone, left by Fang Ling's previous sword strike!
Jin Buhan looked up at Fang Ling and said, "A powerful sword strike. Fortunately, your cultivation isn't high, or that strike might have killed me outright."
"After tens of thousands of years asleep, has something changed in the outside world? Have later generations truly become this strong?"
Fang Ling neither confirmed nor denied it. He raised his hand, preparing another sword strike.
Jin Buhan's expression shifted. He had not expected Fang Ling to be able to unleash a sword move like that repeatedly.
Unwilling to suffer another strike, he hurriedly used his life-bound art.
Golden light flickered over the wound on his chest, and the injury that had exposed bone healed in an instant, leaving not even a scar.
Is this the Golden-Horn Race's Regeneration Art that Sword Master mentioned?
"Impressive indeed..." Fang Ling nodded, acknowledging Jin Buhan's strength.
But that was all. He had already decided to turn Jin Buhan into nourishment for himself.
He turned his wrist and unleashed another sword strike.
This was the second of the Sword Demon Three Forms-Heaven-Questioning!
This strike was even more terrifying than Dragon-Slaying, capable of cleaving through anything.
Jin Buhan sensed the change in the Sword Qi and was horrified.
He already regretted it, regretted attacking Fang Ling.
But there was no medicine for turning back time. He could only stake his life on one final struggle.
"To think my first battle after awakening would force me to reveal my trump card..."
"Fang Ling, I'll remember you. You are a mighty opponent worthy of my respect!"
With a thought, a golden spear suddenly appeared in his hand.
The golden spear shone dazzlingly, its edge laid bare, radiating an aura that could destroy heaven and earth.
"I, Jin Buhan, am a prodigy of the Golden-Horn Race's final generation."
"This is my innate spirit treasure, the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear!"
"This spear once slew the prodigies and holy maidens of other races. Today, I shall use this treasure to send you on your way!"
Golden veins bulged on Jin Buhan's forehead as his aura climbed to its peak.
With a furious roar, he hurled the spear with all his strength.
The terrifying might of Fang Ling's Heaven-Questioning strike was overwhelmed in an instant.
With a sharp hiss, the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear pierced through Fang Ling's body.
Seeing this, Jin Buhan silently breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally..."
But in the next moment, his expression changed violently, as though he had seen a ghost.
He saw Fang Ling smiling, saw him use both hands to pull the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear out of his own body.
"Impossible! You're a mere human! How could you survive being pierced by my divine spear?!" Jin Buhan screamed hysterically.
Fang Ling lowered his head to look at his chest, where the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear had punched a gaping hole.
But his flesh was already rebuilding itself at a speed visible to the naked eye. Before long, the bloody hole had closed.
"I never expected you to have a trump card like this."
"This weapon is excellent. Unfortunately, it's mine now!"
Fang Ling's expression hardened. Using the Plundering Secret Art taught to him by his fat master, he forcibly refined Jin Buhan's innate spirit treasure.
Feeling his connection to the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear forcibly severed, Jin Buhan fell into even greater despair.
"No, you can't do this! Give me back my treasure!" he shouted.
"As you wish!" Fang Ling tightened his grip on the spear and aimed it at Jin Buhan.
With a tearing hiss, the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear shot toward him.
Jin Buhan spat out a mouthful of blood from sheer fury.
His eyes brimmed with unwillingness, but he knew that if he did not leave, he would probably meet his end here today.
"Heaven-Shedding Great Art!" Just as the spear was about to pierce his body, he dissolved into specks of light and vanished.
Fang Ling gazed at the spot where Jin Buhan had disappeared, his brow furrowing slightly.
"What a pity. Such rich blood and vitality, such a fine body, and I let him escape."
"But at least I still gained something..." He looked at the Mysterious Gold Heaven-Piercing Spear radiating its destructive aura and nodded in satisfaction.
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