https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-19-Qi-Refining-Fourth-Layer-To-Be-Continued-/12543686/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-21-A-Quiet-Day-of-Spirit-Herb-Gardening/12543688/
Chapter 20: Is This Freaking Guy Only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining?
Chapter 20: Is This Freaking Guy Only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining?
From the other three white orbs of light, Lu Chen unlocked two sets of Golden Sword Techniques and a first-grade talisman, the Earth Wall Talisman.
When used, this talisman could summon a thick wall of earth about a zhang high, providing excellent protection.
Lu Chen absorbed the Golden Sword Techniques into his mind, carefully comprehending the intricacies of the sword techniques.
As he manipulated his spiritual energy, a golden streak of light appeared in an instant and pierced through a huge rock with a whooshing sound.
He felt that he had achieved a minor accomplishment in this sword technique, as it now consumed less spiritual energy, moved faster, and had become much more powerful.
The six mature Spirit Glow Grass, which had turned into six white orbs of light, further enhanced Lu Chen's combat strength.
He even wished that Qin Ming would come later; ideally, he would have preferred to wait until all the Spirit Glow Grass matured, and he would have gladly accepted even the maturity of the Red Cloud Pine or the Sword Grass.
However, he was also clear that this was just wishful thinking. Once his opponent figured out his bottom line and behavior patterns, they would naturally take action soon.
That night, all was quiet.
A figure quietly appeared outside Lu Chen's courtyard without making a sound.
"Damn kid, you're pretty cunning, hiding inside all the time and never going out."
"But do you think you'll be safe just because you're at home? That's too naive."
Qin Ming stood quietly outside the courtyard, looking at the black thorns on the blue stone wall, a mocking smile on his face.
With his cultivation two minor realms higher than Lu Chen's, he was fearless and had a cat-playing-with-a-mouse mentality as he specifically came to see Lu Chen's face.
Unexpectedly, the little loose cultivator at the second layer of Qi Refining turned out to be quite cautious, staying indoors during this period and no longer going out to help others with pest control.
Qin Ming had been keeping watch in the area for several days, but his target hadn't left his house, so he decided to take direct action.
"Basic defensive formation. If it were a first-grade formation, it would have had a significant effect. As for this level of protective capability, I'll just break through it."
He pointed at the thin layer of spiritual energy shield covering the courtyard with one hand, and several sharp ice spikes appeared, rotating and whistling softly as they easily broke through the defensive formation.
Standing at the window, he sensed with his spiritual awareness that there was no movement inside the house. The breaking of the protective formation didn't seem to have aroused any alertness from the little loose cultivator.
"Your spiritual senses are too poor. You're even sleeping so soundly. Oh well, let you die in your sleep and suffer less pain."
Qin Ming muttered to himself, and then a spear of ice over five feet long appeared above his head. The tip of the spear trembled slightly, and the white jade-like spear emitted a chilling aura.
The ice spear let out a soft hum as it stabbed toward the bed like an arrow.
"Hmm?"
The ice spear pierced straight through the entire bed, but Qin Ming felt that something was amiss. He approached the wooden bed, and a layer of frost armor appeared on his body as he intended to take a closer look.
Just as he stepped into the house, a golden streak of light flashed toward Qin Ming's head at an incredible speed.
The frost armor was easily pierced by the golden light, and it seemed that the light would directly penetrate his head.
Sensing the deadly threat brought by the golden light, a jade plaque at Qin Ming's waist silently shattered in an instant. A layer of misty spiritual light formed around his body, rapidly expanding and blocking the remaining momentum of the golden light.
"Bold!"
Qin Ming stared at the rapidly melting Golden Sword Technique, a trace of fear flashing across his face.
He had been cautious enough to cast a Frost Armor spell on himself when he entered, but he never expected that a spiritual herbologist at the second layer of Qi Refining would be able to release a sword technique with such lethal power.
The Frost Armor spell, which had served him well in the past, turned out to be so fragile! If it weren't for the jade plaque artifact that sensed the danger and protected him in time, he might have perished under that sword technique.
"Impressive. Your mastery of sword techniques far exceeds my imagination. But that's where it ends."
"You've wasted one of my top-grade protective artifacts, and I'll make you pay for it!"
He glared at Lu Chen, whose figure emerged from the dark corner, and said with a sinister expression.
"I'm just an ordinary spiritual herbologist. Why must you, a noble cultivator at the middle stage of Qi Refining, go to such lengths to kill me?"
Lu Chen replied calmly.
"Your mistake was killing so many of my larvae and taking the spirit stones that should have been mine."
"Your biggest mistake was being only at the second layer of Qi Refining. Do you understand now?"
Lu Chen didn't say more; he simply beckoned to Qin Ming with a hand gesture.
"Hmph!"
Qin Ming's anger flared at being provoked by a second layer Qi Refining cultivator. He channeled his spiritual power, and dozens of ice spikes, radiating bone-chilling cold, swiftly materialized in front of him, covering all possible escape routes for Lu Chen.
Lu Chen's expression remained unchanged as he casually flicked his wrists, unleashing over ten first-grade talismans at once.
In an instant, countless sword blades, like a rain of arrows, rushed towards Qin Ming, along with crimson fireballs and greenish-black wooden spikes.
"All those shiny spirit stones..."
Lu Chen's mind flashed with a thought as this attack nearly depleted all the talismans he had collected during this time. It was an all-out assault, a battle of resources!
At the same time, a pale silver-white sword blade trailed behind the multitude of sword auras, going completely unnoticed.
Seeing the countless sword auras rushing towards him, Qin Ming cursed inwardly. He pressed his hand forward, and a thick wall of ice abruptly rose in front of him.
Indeed, he was exceptionally skilled in ice-based techniques. The Frost Armor technique could be as thin as to freeze the black budworm larvae as fine as hair, and it could also quickly form a defensive ice wall with formidable protective capabilities.
Hundreds and thousands of sword auras howled towards him, and amidst the clanging sounds, countless tiny cracks appeared on the ice wall. As the subsequent sword auras struck, the cracks rapidly spread, and large and small chunks of ice began to fall.
Boom!
A crimson fireball hit one of the cracks, causing a violent explosion as ice and fire clashed.
A gaping hole appeared in the ice wall.
A silver-white sword light quietly slipped through and stabbed towards Qin Ming's head.
"Well played!"
Qin Ming's waist flicked, and a flying sword appeared, intercepting the silver-white sword blade.
Just as the two were about to make contact, the silver-white sword blade suddenly split into dozens of thin fragments.
The fragments, imbued with sharp sword intent, flew towards various parts of Qin Ming's body, causing his eyes to widen in horror.
The largest fragment curved around to the back of Qin Ming's head, gently slicing across his neck. Fresh blood sprayed out as his head dropped.
In the instant before his consciousness faded, Qin Ming saw his limbs, heart, and groin pierced by one or several of the thin fragments.
"How... How is he only at the second layer of Qi Refining?!"
Regret filled his mind, and then darkness consumed his consciousness.
(End of Chapter)
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