Chapter 168: Fierce Battle (2)

A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality

First, I want to thank everyone for their opinions and thoughts on how we should overhaul completed novels. We've reviewed nearly 2000 comments across multiple platforms and forum, and while we haven't responded to everything I can promise I HAVE read it all. First, I'm going to briefly go into some of the things which were discussed which may or may not work, because I don't want people to think I ignored anything. I'm putting those in 'spoiler' tags so people who don't care can skip it. Then, we'll talk...

Chapter 168: Fierce Battle (2)

After all this was done, Han Li was satisfied and took out the small gray sword talisman treasure. He then sat down cross-legged and began to cast the spell, intending to attack with the treasure talisman as soon as possible.

At that moment, the Senior Martial Brother Lu across from him finally gathered enough Spiritual Qi for the Azure Flood Dragon Flag and launched a tempest-like attack.

As soon as he stopped waving the banner, he pointed the banner toward Han Li. Wu wu. Suddenly, over ten azure wind blades appeared and raced out from the banner toward Han Li.

The speed of these wind blades was far too swift. In a blink of an eye, they had left Senior Martial Brother Lu and were next to Han Li. Wind attribute magic techniques were truly not lacking. The speed of their attacks were greater than other elemental magic techniques by over fifty percent.

Were it not for the defenses he had prepared in advance, Han Li feared that he would not have been able to react and would have already been beheaded by these multiple wind blades.

Just as Han Li was startled, the wind blades fiercely collided against the outermost fine steel ring. Azure and yellow rays of light sparkled continuously along with the sound of cutting strikes.

When the rays of light disappeared, the originally smooth steel ring’s outer layer had over ten overlapping foot-long grooves. The entire magic tool was clearly already worn and damaged. Regardless, it was fortunate that this magic tool was continuously swiveling as it was attacked, causing the wind blades to all attack at different places. Otherwise, the ring would have already been broken and allowed the blades to penetrate his first line of defense.

Both Han Li and Senior Martial Brother Lu felt surprised from this outcome.

Han Li felt that although this steel ring magic tool was originally not intended for defensive use, it was a genuine, high-quality magic tool, and the quality of its material was naturally unquestionable. However, he didn’t expect that a mere few trifling wind blades would have almost destroyed it.

Senior Martial Brother Lu was even more surprised. This Azure Flood Dragon Banner was a famous top-quality magic tool. Because it matched the properties of his spiritual roots, he had paid a bitter, heart-wrenching price to acquire it.

Not only could this magic tool effortlessly and instantly cast the Wind Blades Technique and other simple magic techniques, when it absorbed a certain amount of Spiritual Qi, all of the wind attribute attacks that the banner cast were amplified. This was why each of those wind blades from a moment ago, although they appeared to be the simplest kind of elementary low-grade magic techniques, had power comparable to that of a mid-grade magic technique.

In other words, the seemingly simple attack from a moment ago was actually a concentrated bombardment of over ten mid-grade magic techniques. Despite this, it wasn’t even able to destroy the outermost huge metal ring. How could this Senior Martial Brother Lu not be apprehensive or even fearful toward Han Li?

Although Han Li and Senior Martial Brother Lu both felt that the other party was ruthless, their following actions were quite different.

Because Han Li had yet to control the talisman treasure and was unwilling to give up halfway, he could only bitterly brace himself for the incomparably swift and fierce attack that was certain to come.

And with Senior Martial Lu’s superior intellect, when he saw Han Li arrange a defensive position and remain motionless after the previous attack, he knew that Han Li was certain to be preparing a trump card. Not some high-grade magic technique attack but a ferocious magic tool.

As a result, he did not hesitate and madly poured spiritual power into the banner in his hand. He then pointed the banner toward Han Li, releasing a violent flurry of azure wind blades.

This time, the wind blades were relatively small but steady and persistent, taking the form of long azure torrents. The torrents rushed forth, causing azure and yellow light to appear from the fierce strikes.

This time, Han Li’s steel ring was only able to persevere for a short period of time before suddenly producing a heavy boom. Yellow light greatly scattered, and the high-quality fine steel ring finally broke.

With nothing obstructing the wind blades, they rampantly charged straight forward. However, they were met by another top-quality magic tool, the Dark-Iron Shield. It obstructed their way, and bursts of black and azure light were produced from the collisions.

The Dark-Iron Shield was very different from the steel ring magic tool.

First of all, the ring’s quality was a grade inferior. This shield was a top-quality magic tool of the same grade as the Azure Flood Dragon Banner. In the cultivation world, who could possess such rarely-seen objects? The steel ring was simply a high-quality magic tool. Although it could not be said to be a commonly seen item since they were widely possessed, the cultivators who had the status to possess one or two of such items were still a sparse few.

Secondly, although this iron shield didn’t have the slightest potential for attack, as a magic tool specialized in defense, its defensive power exceeded that of even four of those steel rings. Not only was it durable and sturdy, but there were also several specialized defensive enchantments attached to the shield, causing its defensive power to greatly increase.

As a result, the stream of attacks that consisted of over a hundred frantic wind blades was effortlessly intercepted by Han Li’s floating shield. It stood like a mountain in a storm and emitted black light. It didn’t move even the slightest, giving off the appearance that it had plenty effort to spare.

When Senior Martial Brother Lu saw this, his mind grew furious, but he merely gave a cold snort. He shook out both his hands, no longer releasing wind blades from his banner point. Then he gripped the banner pole, and his hands suddenly emitted a great white light as if a flood of spiritual power was leaking from his body, rushing forth into the banner pole.

After receiving such a huge amount of spiritual power, the Azure Flood Dragon Banner’s azure light grew even more dazzling, as if there was an azure sun rising in the middle of the night; few would dare to look straight at it.

Because Senior Martial Brother Lu used too much magic power, his complexion grew extremely pale. However, he still wore a fierce and cruel expression. It seemed he was fully aware that further delay was sure to bring trouble, so he intended to deal a finishing blow at all costs.

(TL: ???? A long night is fraught with dreams -“further delay was sure to bring trouble”.)

Following a low roar from Senior Martial Lu, he forcefully tossed the Azure Flood Dragon Banner into the air. Then he performed finger incantation gestures at great speed and pointed toward the banner, shouting, “Flood Dragon Transformation!”

The Azure Flood Dragon Banner overflowed with azure light and released it in every direction. In an instant it transformed into a huge azure flood dragon over thirty meters long. It was vivid and lifelike, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as if it were an exact copy of the embroidery on the banner.

“Go.” Without the slightest hesitation, Senior Martial Brother Lu commanded with his finger. That flood dragon immediately opened its huge mouth and fiercely pounced straight toward Han Li. Then, a loud and deafening “Dang” rang out. The head of the flood dragon was struggling against the Dark-Iron Shield.

Azure light and black light simultaneously blazed. At the moment, they seemed evenly matched. However, not longer after, the shield’s black light rapidly grew weaker at a rate that could be seen with the naked eye.

It appeared that this shield would meet a similar end to the preceding magic tool, but all of a sudden, a clear voice spoke, “Withdraw.”

Following this sound, the iron shield immediately grew smaller and quickly retreated. Then the azure dragon’s Qi greatly blazed and ferociously pursued it. It widely opened its mouth as if wanting to swallow both Han Li and the shield.

However, at this moment, a brilliant gray streak of light about ten meters long flew from Han Li, who was originally sitting cross-legged. It assumed the form of a huge sword. Without showing weakness, the sword struck against the flood dragon’s head, causing them to mutually tangle around each other.

For a moment in the air, the azure light suppressed the gray light. A moment later, it was the gray streak that restrained the azure light. For a short while it was unknown which was stronger.

As for the iron shield, after it reverted to its original palm size and fell into Han Li’s hand, it was returned to his storage pouch. At this moment, all of his magic power was being used to carry the treasure talisman’s attack. He had no leftover magic power to offer the shield.

The current treasure talisman’s gray streak transformation was incomparable to the time he used it to kill the yellow-clothed men. One could actually make out the sword within the light, and its power was greater by at least four times.

It should be known that in the hands of Monk Golden Light, the treasure talisman could only transform into a gray streak that was one foot long. In the hands of Han Li when he was practicing the Telekinesis Technique, the treasure talisman could turn into a light streak several feet long. But when Han Li used it to kill the yellow-clothed men, the treasure talisman’s light streak had been about a three meters long.

As of now, Han Li’s magic power had already reached the eleventh layer. Not only did its length greatly increase, becoming about ten meters long, its shape also faintly resembled a huge sword as well. Its brilliance dazzled the eye, and the radiant streak moved as it pleased with an astonishing grandeur, causing people to look on with surprise. Were it not in this enhanced state, this treasure talisman might not have necessarily been able to withstand the Azure Flood Dragon Banner’s transformation.

From this, it could be seen that a treasure talisman’s might not only depended on the might of the magic treasure sealed within but also the amount of magic power refined by its user. The deeper the user’s magic power, the more thoroughly the talisman treasure’s might may be displayed.

He truly did not know what shape the talisman treasure would take if he used it after he entered Foundation Establishment. As Han Li controlled the gray streak to tangle with the azure flood dragon in battle, however, he did not know why but he was unexpectedly distracted by a sudden thought.

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