Seeing Treasure Girl choose to activate her Talisman Treasure, Lin He showed no fear. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face.
A Talisman Treasure was created when a Core Formation Stage cultivator sealed one-tenth of their magic treasure's power inside a talisman. Qi Refining Stage cultivators usually could not unleash its full power, and activating it took time. At most, its strength was comparable to a Top-Tier Magical Artifact.
For example, in the original novel, Senior Brother Lu had used a Fine Grade Top-Tier Magical Artifact—the Azure Flood Dragon Banner—to withstand Han Li's Little Sword Talisman Treasure.
Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and comprehending the art of condensation could one activate a Talisman Treasure more quickly and unleash its full power.
Lin He also had a Golden Light Brick Talisman Treasure, but he had never used it in battle for precisely this reason. A Qi Refining Stage cultivator activating a Talisman Treasure became a living target, just like Treasure Girl at this moment.
Lin He glanced at Treasure Girl opposite him. She was concentrating entirely on activating her Talisman Treasure. Without further hesitation, he waved his hand, sending out his pair of Top-Tier Magical Artifacts—the Blazing Fire Claws.
The Blazing Fire Claws immediately shot toward the pair of white rings. The two sets of artifacts were originally close in power, but with Lin He controlling his with all his might, the result was entirely different.
Flooded with the full force of his eleventh-layer magical power, the Blazing Fire Claws blazed brilliantly, suppressing the white rings until their spiritual glow dimmed. Yet Treasure Girl had devoted all her attention to activating her Talisman Treasure and was only controlling the rings in the most basic fashion, unable to unleash much of their power. Soon, the white rings were beaten back to their original forms, becoming two white rings once more. The Blazing Fire Claws seized them and delivered them into Lin He's hands.
Enjoy your moment of triumph. I'll take them back from your corpse soon enough.
Treasure Girl thought bitterly, but in the next instant, she suddenly sensed something, and her expression changed.
In a patch of weeds ahead and to one side of her, spiritual power suddenly surged. A thick Water Arrow shot out, slamming into her earthen-yellow Protective Shield before her horrified eyes and making it shake violently.
"Ah! That's... an Azure Water Crocodile!"
When she saw that her attacker was an Azure Water Crocodile at the peak of the first rank, the previously composed Treasure Girl finally panicked.
At the same time, a pair of Blazing Fire Claws and a pair of Flame Flying Forks descended on her from overhead.
Under the ferocious assault of so many magic artifacts, the already tottering Protective Shield of the Earth Wall Technique finally gave way. After a violent shudder, it shattered.
"Damn it! I refuse to accept this! I was so close to activating my Talisman Treasure!"
Treasure Girl let out one final, impotent roar. Then the Blazing Fire Claws clamped around her head and crushed it, scattering fragments across the ground. She was dead beyond any doubt.
With a swift movement, Lin He reached Treasure Girl's side and took her Storage Bag. He also put away the Azure Condensation Mirror he had coveted for so long.
After finishing, Lin He did not leave. Instead, he looked in a certain direction and called out, "You've been watching for quite some time. Isn't it about time you showed yourself?"
A middle-aged man with a scar-covered face suddenly emerged in the direction Lin He was looking. His face radiated murderous menace, making it obvious that he was not someone to provoke. He was none other than Heavenly Gate Fort's madman, Feng Yue!
As soon as Feng Yue appeared, he glared viciously at Lin He, then surveyed their surroundings. Yet he could find no trace of the Azure Water Crocodile, which left him feeling uneasy.
Feng Yue had actually been watching Treasure Girl all along. Although her cultivation was only at the twelfth layer, she possessed several Top-Tier Magical Artifacts and high-grade talismans. Rather than attack rashly, he had waited for an opportunity.
The battle between Lin He and Treasure Girl had convinced Feng Yue that his opportunity had arrived. Yet just as he was about to strike, Lin He had already finished her off, leaving him both shocked and furious.
This brat is far too cautious. He's kept a Shield protecting him the whole time, leaving no opening for a sneak attack. What a waste-all those treasures have fallen into his hands.
Feng Yue's eyes darted about as he assessed their relative strength, while his words carried a threat.
"Brat, hand over those treasures you took, and I might spare your life."
"Are you joking? Since when does anyone spit out what they've already swallowed?"
Lin He refused outright, clearly enraging Feng Yue. With a cold snort, Feng Yue said, "Do you know the Moon-Covering Twin Beauties' background? Their grandmother is a Core Formation Stage elder of the Covering Moon Sect. If I report you to the Covering Moon Sect... tsk, tsk. A Core Formation Stage cultivator will hunt you down. Just thinking about it is thrilling, wouldn't you agree?"
Faced with Feng Yue's threat, Lin He did not deny it. "You have a point. So, Feng Yue, I must stop you and make sure you stay here forever."
"You? I may not be able to kill you, but if I, Feng Yue, want to leave, do you think you can stop me?"
As he spoke, Feng Yue activated his Cloud-Treading Boots, and his speed suddenly soared. In the space of a single breath, he was already several yards away, seemingly about to escape completely.
"Do you think you can get away?"
Lin He did not pursue him. He merely urged his divine sense into action, and an Azure Water Crocodile suddenly burst out in Feng Yue's path, whipping its enormous tail toward him. A Demon Beast's body was formidable to begin with, and with the added force of that sweeping tail, Feng Yue was badly startled. How could he dare take the blow head-on?
He activated his Cloud-Treading Boots again, narrowly avoiding the attack. Yet that very dodge bought Lin He the time he needed.
At some point, twenty Frost Toads had gathered beside Lin He. Sprinkled with Beast-Driving Powder, they temporarily obeyed his commands.
The twenty Frost Toads opened their mouths simultaneously and spat out twenty Ice Spikes. Having just dodged the Azure Water Crocodile's sweeping tail, Feng Yue was immediately engulfed by twenty spikes radiating a chilling frost, with nowhere left to dodge.
"Bastard! You're a Yellow Maple Valley disciple, not a Spirit Beast Mountain disciple!"
Feng Yue could not help blurting out the complaint. Then he had no choice but to halt and open his Yellow Gauze Umbrella!
A perfectly round sphere of yellow light enveloped him. All the Ice Spikes struck it with a series of bangs, only to be easily bounced away.
"It really is a Fine Grade Top-Tier Magical Artifact!"
The Yellow Gauze Umbrella was indeed astonishingly powerful. Yet for some reason, Lin He made no other move and merely watched Feng Yue with a smile.
Having blocked the Ice Spikes, Feng Yue had not even had time to catch his breath before the Azure Water Crocodile charged him again. This time, instead of sweeping its tail, it rammed straight into him.
Feng Yue felt an irresistible force crash into him. Had he not opened the Yellow Gauze Umbrella, his body would surely have been smashed into pieces.
Even so, the tremendous force shook the entire sphere of light, producing a series of explosive cracks. Clearly, the impact placed an enormous strain on the Yellow Gauze Umbrella.
The Yellow Gauze Umbrella truly lived up to its reputation as a Fine Grade Top-Tier Magical Artifact. As that immense force rebounded, it also drove the enormous Azure Water Crocodile back.
"I'm done playing with you!"
With the Azure Water Crocodile driven back and Lin He seemingly having no intention of using his magic artifacts, Feng Yue was happy to take advantage, though he did not understand why. He put away the Yellow Gauze Umbrella and immediately activated his Cloud-Treading Boots. In the blink of an eye, he had fled several yards. Neither Lin He nor the Azure Water Crocodile could catch him now, and it seemed Feng Yue was about to escape with his life.
Just then, a sharp rush of wind struck. It was another Azure Water Crocodile at Peak Level One!
"What..."
Before Feng Yue could finish speaking, his body was sent flying, smashed into a mangled wreck. His intestines and blood spilled across the ground, and he soon breathed his last. Feng Yue, the infamous madman, had died at the hands of a Demon Beast just like that.