A waning moon hung high in the sky, casting a faint, cold moonlight over the earth.
But at this moment, this forest was filled with pervasive killing intent.
Brilliant and violent thunderfire primordial energy erupted into the night, scattering much of the darkness. Lu Jin's figure appeared in the sky, his Thunderfire Feather Robe crackling around his body as it drew in the primordial energy of heaven and earth.
The Thunderfire Whip in his hand had condensed into near-solid form, with thunder and fire intertwining. With every swing, violent primordial energy surged, carrying the power to shatter mountains.
“Guo Kui, my Thunderfire Hall and your Peach Mountain Bandits have always minded our own business. Yet, you not only plundered our medicinal garden, but now you even dare to ambush a caravan guarded by my Thunderfire Hall! Are you truly bent on fighting to the bitter end?” Lu Jin's eyes crackled with thunder and fire as he glared at Guo Kui's figure ahead, his aged voice laced with sparks of thunder and fire as killing intent drifted through the night.
“Just what kind of benefits did Lin Changkong offer you?”
Enveloping Guo Kui's body was a Divine Ability Feather Robe. The feather robe was pitch-black, as if formed from dark smoke, constantly releasing black vapor. This black vapor was clearly highly toxic; even the air sizzled and evaporated upon contact, turning into toxic gas that continuously spread in all directions.
He had a gaunt build, an aquiline nose, and deep-set eyes filled with cold cruelty. His head was completely bald, engraved with a blood-red scorpion tattoo whose tail dangled down the back of his head like a crimson scorpion braid.
“Lu Jin, what is the use of talking about this now? Since you dared to set a trap, you should naturally be prepared for your entire family to be wiped out,” Guo Kui said grimly.
“Hehe, how amusing. Your Thunderfire Hall has been riding a wave of momentum recently, but who would have thought that after tomorrow, it will crumble to the ground?”
Lu Jin's expression remained indifferent. He wasted no more words, fluttering his Thunderfire Feather Robe to channel the majestic and powerful primordial energy of heaven and earth, directly striking down with a palm.
Boom!
A dark-gold Flame Blade, fully dozens of zhang long, materialized out of thin air. Carrying a blazing fiery light, it slashed toward Guo Kui.
The pitch-black feather robe on Guo Kui's body also erupted with black primordial energy at this moment. The toxic primordial energy transformed into a massive scorpion claw of toxic gas, directly blocking and dispersing the incoming Flame Blade.
“Lu Jin, you old codger! If you had stayed obediently inside the ward city, there would have been nothing I could do to you. But I never expected you to actively come out to seek your own death. Since that is the case, do not blame me for taking your old life and adding to the notorious reputation of my Peach Mountain Bandits!”
Guo Kui laughed to the heavens, his laughter thick with intense killing intent.
A powerful pressure of primordial energy erupted completely from within his body. With a wave of his sleeves, toxic primordial energy swept out, transforming into massive black toxic seals that rained down relentlessly toward Lu Jin's position.
At the same time, his voice, as piercing as a ghostly owl's, echoed down into the toxic-gas-shrouded forest below.
“Peach Mountain Bandits, slaughter everyone from Thunderfire Hall!”
“I want this old bag of bones to watch with his own eyes as his family dies a tragic death right before him!”
As Guo Kui's voice fell, intense killing intent erupted in the eyes of the Peach Mountain Bandits wearing blood-red beast-face masks. In the next instant, majestic primordial energy burst from their bodies, and their figures turned into a torrent, charging to slaughter the people of Thunderfire Hall in the camp.
Along with their charge came the toxic gas, which was growing increasingly dense between heaven and earth.
“Engage!”
Lu Qingyan roared. Dazzling Thunderfire Whips condensed in the hands of everyone from Thunderfire Hall.
“You bastards! Let us see whether you wipe out our Thunderfire Hall today, or if our Thunderfire Hall slaughters every last one of your Peach Mountain Bandits!” Lu Jinglei's face contorted in a snarl. Charging fearlessly at the front, his Thunderfire Whip unleashed violent and fierce thunderfire, smashing toward a bandit of similar strength.
In an instant, the two forces collided, and a bloody battle erupted.
Lu Ming was protected at the very rear. As he gazed at the battlefield in the forest, his face was cold. Instead of blindly charging forward, he fixed his gaze on the drifting toxic gas.
This toxic gas was the most troublesome factor.
Lu Qingyan and the others did not have Life's Flame protecting their bodies. The toxic gas was constantly corroding and consuming their primordial energy. While this minor consumption did not matter in the short term, as the fierce battle dragged on, they would inevitably be affected.
On the other hand, the blood-red beast-face masks worn by the Peach Mountain Bandits could block the toxic gas.
The strengths of both sides were already close, making this a vicious battle where lives would be lost. If this disadvantage continued to mount, it could trigger a total collapse.
The Peach Mountain Bandits have laid down a Divine Ability Restriction that constantly releases toxic gas. It must be destroyed.
Lu Ming took a deep breath and scanned his surroundings. However, the pitch-black toxic gas obscured his vision, making it extremely difficult to locate the restriction flags of the Divine Ability Restriction.
However, this was not a problem for Lu Ming.
With a thought, golden light began to gather in his eyes. In the next moment, his Golden Pupils manifested.
The pitch-black toxic fog instantly vanished from his sight. Lu Ming then saw strange fluctuations of primordial energy radiating from deep within the forest to his right, and the toxic gas filling the area was continuously spewing from those spots.
Clearly, these locations were where the restriction flags of this Divine Ability Restriction were placed.
Without hesitation, lightning flashed beneath Lu Ming's feet. Pushing his speed to the absolute limit, he dashed directly toward the depths of the forest.
Bang!
Just as he moved, however, a sudden burst of primordial energy erupted from the black fog ahead. A green wooden pillar formed of primordial energy, carrying a violent impact powerful enough to shatter mountain boulders, came crashing toward his head.
Lu Ming's expression did not waver. Reaching out with his hand, a dark-gold Flame Blade instantly extended outward.
Swoosh!
The Flame Blade slashed down, instantly slicing the green wooden pillar to pieces.
Lu Ming looked up and saw a figure standing on a tree trunk ahead. A blood-red rat mask covered his face, and a harsh laugh escaped from behind it: “Kid, isn't it better to just obediently wait for death? Where do you think you are running to?”
Lu Ming sensed the primordial energy fluctuations radiating from the opponent's body. By his estimate, this was a Grand Divine Ability Practitioner of the Peach Mountain Bandits who had condensed eight Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions, though he was not among the six chief lieutenants.
Eight Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions...
A cold light flashed in Lu Ming's slightly lowered eyes. The opponent certainly held an advantage in terms of the sheer quantity of primordial energy. However, in a duel of divine abilities and a life-or-death struggle, an advantage in primordial energy was merely one of many factors.
The mastery level of one's divine ability techniques was also crucial.
“You are that High-grade genius of Thunderfire Hall, aren't you? If I slaughter you, I will have the life of a High-grade genius on my hands! Haha, how rare is that!” The rat-masked Grand Divine Ability Practitioner laughed, killing intent swirling in his eyes.
“Die!”
The rat-masked Grand Divine Ability Practitioner let out a long howl. The ground beneath Lu Ming's feet suddenly split open, and wooden vines condensed from primordial energy shot out like serpents, coiling toward his feet with lightning speed.
This attack came too suddenly, catching one completely off guard. It was clear that these Peach Mountain Bandits truly lived with their heads on the line; every action was designed solely to kill and conquer.
Yet, just as the primordial energy vines were about to wrap around Lu Ming's ankles, he casually lifted his foot slightly, causing the vines to miss entirely. Then, with lightning flashing beneath his sole, Lu Ming stomped down.
He crushed the primordial energy vines into scattered motes of light.
Lu Ming's expression was calm. With his Golden Pupils active, the flow of primordial energy in the surrounding area was fully reflected in his eyes. Although the primordial energy vines had traveled underground, they still could not escape his gaze.
Thus, no matter how seasoned and battle-hardened the opponent was, trying to launch a surprise attack on him was nothing but a pipe dream.
He might lack rich combat experience, but that did not matter when he could essentially cheat.
“Eh?”
The rat-masked Grand Divine Ability Practitioner let out a surprised sound at his failure. He then sneered as primordial energy surged violently within his body. Stretching out his arm, it instantly petrified into wood, extending like a green python as it shot toward Lu Ming in a frontal assault.
A Mid Divine Ability, Coiling Wood Hand?
Seeing this, Lu Ming's eyes narrowed slightly. This kind of divine ability was rather common and practiced by many, but it was highly practical. Especially in a dense forest environment, it was quite troublesome to deal with.
But it is only at the Great Success stage... How low.
In truth, reaching the Great Success stage with a Mid Divine Ability was not considered low for a Grand Divine Ability Practitioner. Most Grand Divine Ability Practitioners with fewer than ten Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions could only train a single Mid Divine Ability to the Great Success stage.
However, to Lu Ming, who possessed the wondrous effects of the Fire Lotus primordial energy, a Mid Divine Ability at the Great Success stage was indeed somewhat lacking.
On Lu Ming's right palm, the dark-gold Flame Blade flickered. Facing a Grand Divine Ability Practitioner who had condensed eight Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions, he had no intention of retreating. At this moment, a flame resembling liquid gold rose from his left palm.
Mid Divine Ability, Golden Liquid Fire, Great Success stage.
Of course, it did not stop there...
With a thought, the Fire Lotus imprint on his Divine Ability Bone activated, and Fire Lotus primordial energy surged out.
The flowing Golden Liquid Fire suddenly froze as a golden fire core emerged at the center of the flames. The fire core spun, completely absorbing the golden flames within a few short breaths.
In the end, only a single, dazzlingly brilliant golden fire core remained, floating quietly.
Golden Liquid Fire, Great Perfection stage!
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