This was a male cultivator with a scar on his face, surrounded by five golden wheels. These wheels varied in size and weight, spinning unevenly, some upright and some askew, whirling as if they were flying.
"Foundation Establishment Perfection!" Xiao Zhi''s expression turned solemn.
The cultivator who appeared was none other than Ximen Zi, but his cultivation level was not at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment as the data suggested.
However, everyone had anticipated this, so they remained quite indifferent.
As long as it was still a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, he was not an opponent they couldn''t handle.
…
Ximen Zi''s decisiveness far exceeded everyone''s expectations. He immediately chose tounch a surprise attack on the distracted Xiao Zhi, whose beast pet had been injured.
If it weren''t for the green-eyed ferret warning Xiao Zhi, Ximen Zi''s surprise attack would have most likely seeded. Even though Xiao Zhi used his defensive artifact in haste, he still sustained considerable injury.
Seeing that his surprise attack had not seeded, Ximen Zi did not show any signs of frustration, nor did he waste words with the cultivators from the Tiger Squad. Instead, heunched another attack.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The five golden wheels aligned in a line, dragging a long ck tail me, shining with a dazzling ck light, like a python with sharp fangs, aiming a bite at Lu Qingshan.
In mostbat situations, targeting a Sword Cultivator first was never the wrong choice.
Thus, Ximen Zi immediately shifted from the now-alert Xiao Zhi to attack Lu Qingshan instead.
Against the imposing Golden Wheel Magical Artifact charging towards him, Lu Qingshan remainedposed.
Hey!
A flicker of glowing light shed and shot forward—it was Lu Qingshan''s Flying Sword.
Ximen Zi''s eyes sparkled with amazement, thinking to himself, "What a fast Flying Sword! This Sword Cultivator is no ordinary one."
The speed of a Flying Sword has always been an important measure of its power.
However, if a cultivator at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment thinks he can block my magical artifact with his Flying Sword, he is sorely underestimating me!
Ximen Zi sneered inwardly, confident as his Golden Wheel Magical Artifact surged forward with the momentum of cavalry charging into battle toward Lu Qingshan.
"Where is he?" Suddenly, Ximen Zi showed a look of shock and his eyes began shifting.
It was then that he realized that at the moment the Flying Sword surged, the figure of Lu Qingshan had also disappeared.
Whoosh!
Lu Qingshan''s Flying Sword was already close by, its sharp aura striking forth.
"Trivial tricks!" No longer bothering to look for the now-missing Lu Qingshan, Ximen Zi summoned a round, brownish-yellow, crystal-clear bead above his head.
The bead shone gloriously, emitting a ring of light, and instantly produced an earth-yellow zed shield, protecting Ximen Zi.
This was his Defensive Artifact, the Spring Mud Bead! Your next read awaits at empire
Made from various rare materials and refined over nearly ten years, he had repeatedly refined it, and now, when activated, it operated smoothly.
Not to mention the attack from a mere initial-stage Sword Cultivator''s Flying Sword, even if a Sword Cultivator at the perfection of Foundation Establishment tried, it likely couldn''t break through his Spring Mud Bead in a single strike.
What is this?!
Ximen Zi''s pupils suddenly dted.
He realized that the fierce Flying Sword was not acting as he had imagined; instead of attacking him directly, it stopped abruptly in front of him.
Shortly thereafter, a young man with a stern face appeared.
Formless Sword Escape!
A close-range escape technique incredibly sharp for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Especially since Lu Qingshan''s Flying Sword Technique had already advanced to lv10, the terrifying power of the Formless Sword Escape was fully apparent.
Lu Qingshan, holding the Crying Soul Sword, flicked his wrist, and the sword de reflected Ximen Zi''s profile, invoking a trace of chill in his heart.
The next moment, a cold sh burst from the Crying Soul Sword, and Ximen Zi felt as though he fell into an abyss, his sea of consciousness sank, and he was dazed and disoriented.
Soul Shock!
The cultivators from the Tiger Squad, who had coordinated with Lu Qingshan in many battles, were definitely familiar with his technique of Soul Shock.
Seizing the opportunity created by Lu Qingshan, those adept atbat weren''t going to easily miss it.
By the time Ximen Zi recovered from his brief Soul Loss State, he was already confronted with several unavoidable Spirit Techniques shining upon him.
Chii!
The glow on the Spring Mud Bead intensified.
But as the Protective Light Shield flickered continuously under the spell attack, it didn''t shatter.
Good artifact!
Lu Qingshan inwardly praised.
Ximen Zi looked at Lu Qingshan with a slightly wary gaze.
"A Divine Soul Attack, huh? Indeed, very hard to defend against, but sadly, my Spring Mud Bead is not so easily broken!" Ximen Zi''s voice dripped with mockery, aiming to agitate Lu Qingshan.
Lu Qingshan paid him no heed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ximen Zi swiftly recalled the Golden Wheel Magical Artifact that had missed its mark.
The five golden wheels spun rapidly, creating a halo-like effect; three targeted Lu Qingshan, while the other two were aimed at Xiao Zhi''s summoned demon beast and Xu Hao, who was preparing to close in.
The first profound mystery of dealing with multiple attackers is always to focus one''s efforts on a single person, seeking to diminish their numbers in the shortest time.N?v(el)B\\jnn
Ximen Zi was well-versed in this principle.
His strategy was also crystal clear, focusing his power on Lu Qingshan.
A Sword Cultivator, with only an Initial Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, although his recent tactics were somewhat unexpected, they were odd but ultimately caused no significant harm to himself.
Lu Qingshan stimted the vast Spiritual Power within his body.
Under his control, the Spiritual Power surged toward the Crying Soul Sword in his hand like a tidal wave.
And on the Crying Soul Sword, twoyers of dense rosy light had unknowingly formed.
That was Su Shu''s Spirit Art.
[Piercing Solidity]and [Fire Copse]!
But these two Spirit Arts were not the most crucial.
Lu Qingshan gazed deeply at the fleeting green light above the Spring Mud Pearl.
In the recent multiple Techniques assaults, Su Shu had quietly deployed her own Magic Artifact, subtly adhering it to Ximen Zi''s protective shield.
Using other people''s Spells for cover,bined with Su Shu''s Magic Artifact being just a fine Silver Needle, so small and subtle, Ximen Zi did not notice it.
"Deploy the strongest attack, I have a way to briefly reduce the power of his Magic Artifact significantly!" This was a message sent by Su Shu.
After transmitting the message to Lu Qingshan, Su Shu then focused on the sword in Lu Qingshan''s hand.
She vividly remembered Lu Qingshan''s stunning disy of the Secret Sword Technique!
Upon receiving the message from Su Shu, without any doubt, Lu Qingshan thrust out a sword strike, aiming it at the Spring Mud Pearl hovering above Ximen Zi''s head.
The moment of close quarter shes, a small Silver Needle radiated a bright light, instantly permeating with a green glow, even the previously solid protective shield was tinged with green light and suddenly thinned into a membrane.
Intense sparks sprang from the collision between the Crying Soul Sword and the protective shield, splendidly radiant.
Two remnants of sword movements shed.
Secret Sword: Wind sh!
His most powerful burst technique at the moment.
This time, the protective shield could no longer maintain its former might, crumbling like paper mache under Lu Qingshan''s sword.
The Sword Momentum continued downward.
Crrrack!
A frosty line appeared on the Spring Mud Pearl.
The sword split the Spring Mud.
The once spherical Spring Mud Pearl was cut into two neat halves.
The Crying Soul Sword, undiminished in its course, struck downward from above.
Ximen Zi, like the Spring Mud Pearl, could not withstand a single blow, his frontal bone cleaved, blood sttering.
The five howling Golden Wheels, due to their master''s death,nded vertically on the ground, making nging sounds.
Ximen Zi, dead!
Looking at the panel and seeing another two thousand Experience Points in hand, Lu Qingshan couldn''t help but feel, the guardian Cultivators indeed were Strong Cultivators.
If it were a one-on-one fight, a Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator like Ximen Zi, he surely wouldn''t be able to defeat, and even breaking through Ximen Zi''s Defensive Artifact would be highly challenging.
But with the assistance of the Tiger Squad Cultivators, Ximen Zi had be easily defeated.
Seeing Ximen Zi''s unresigned death, it was clear how reluctant his heart was.
But he couldn''t me him, as Su Shu''s trick of using fake for real was brilliantly yed.
Blending her own Silver Needle Magic Artifact among several offensive Techniques, mixing the false with the real, Ximen Zi, in a state of Soul Loss, failed to see Su Shu activating the Magic Artifact and unless one was incredibly meticulous, it indeed was hard to detect Su Shu''s subtle action.
Coupled with Lu Qingshan''s close proximity and powerful Explosive Power, it culminated in a remarkably sudden lethal attack.
Of course, for Lu Qingshan, what was more important was that, although it was a coborative kill, the Experience alone was his to keep. Was there anything more opportunistic than this in the world?
Seeing Ximen Zi''s bowed head, Su Shu couldn''t help but marvel in her heart.
Her surprise had umted too much.
"Thisd, too much, isn''t it? If I remember correctly, it was just about ten days ago that we taught him the Formless Sword Escape Technique."
How long had it been, and he could master this technique to such an extent?
Isn''t that beyond genius?"
No wonder Su Shu was so astonished; Lu Qingshan''s speed in learning and mastering new Techniques was unimaginable. Before this, she had not only never seen such speed, she hadn''t even heard of it.
Su Shu seemed to recall something else, "And when did his mastery of the Flying Sword Technique be so profound?
Compared to when he joined the Tiger Squad a month ago, it is simply like heaven and earth.
It couldn''t possibly be that he made such progress in this short time, could it? Perhaps he was hiding his real strength all along?"
Biting her silver teeth, Su Shu felt indignant, "But however it might be, having Foundation Establishment Cultivation at such a young age, in addition to the Secret Sword and such adept Flying Sword skills, learning Techniques so rapidly, isn''t that a bit too exaggerated, making one feel utterly inferior?"
"Only, thisd, although he has a smart mind and great potential, seems to have a bit of a heavy killing intent?" Remembering Lu Qingshan''s behavior during previous battles with Demon Beasts, where he often seemed to intentionally steal kills, such a thought surfaced in Su Shu''s mind.
Lu Qingshan, unaware of the various thoughts in Su Shu''s mind, crisply sheathed his sword and walked over to where Ximen Zi had suddenly appeared.
That was a dark entrance, leading to the underground.
Lu Qingshan unconsciously clicked his tongue.
Nothing original, always the underground for misdeeds, like a rat.
Lu Qingshan automatically ignored the fact that the Knowledge Protector Tower was also hidden underground.
Xu Hao, d in Golden Scale Armor, took the lead and entered.
Given the caution of the Underworld Cultivators, such an important Formation Point wouldn''t be without arrangements.
And exploring the rough and exhausting path naturally fell to the cultivators practicing Body Cultivation.