chapter 11
11. Ambush
Footsteps reached their ears.
With their strong perception abilities, both quickly discerned that there were three people, who would arrive shortly.
“Let me handle Hong Xing,” Lin Dongming suggested. “You just fought him not long ago; you’d be easily recognized.”
“Alright,” Bai Zhiqing said. “One of them has steady footsteps, is the least drunk, and also the strongest. I’ll take him on. You should have no problem dealing with the other two.”
Ordinary worldly alcohol had little effect on cultivators. The three had likely been drinking spirit wine. Good spirit wine could affect even Fusion Realm cultivators.
“Fine,” Lin Dongming nodded and leaned against a tree trunk, waiting for Hong Xing. The earlier concealment was to avoid being discovered by uninvolved people; Lin Dongming didn’t really need to ambush Hong Xing.
“Hm?” Hong Xing in his blue robes noticed Lin Dongming and Bai Zhiqing ahead: “Why are people here?”
The man in black beside him, who was the least drunk, also frowned: “What are you doing here? Skulking around in black clothes with masks.”
“We’re here to teach you a lesson,” Lin Dongming said in a disguised voice.
“Teach us a lesson? Pretty big talk,” Hong Xing grew serious as he sensed hostility. Both sides prepared to draw their swords.
“Go ahead. I’ll let you make the first move,” Lin Dongming beckoned to them with his middle finger.
“Such an arrogant fellow!” The most drunk early Golden Core cultivator next to Hong Xing rushed toward Lin Dongming, his long sword transforming into dozens of streaks of light.
Lin Dongming gave a cold laugh, dodged to the side, deflected the opponent’s sword with one strike of his own, and smashed the sword hilt against the back of the man’s head.
“Wha—” The man hadn’t even finished speaking before he collapsed.
Everyone was shocked.
Not just Hong Xing and the man in black, but even Bai Zhiqing was a bit surprised. She knew Lin Dongming had hidden some of his strength, but hadn’t expected him to hide so much.
It’s worth noting that Golden Core cultivators had very sturdy physical bodies. Even if they weren’t body cultivators, they weren’t beings that could be easily injured.
An ordinary weapon probably couldn’t even scratch them. Even with earth-grade or heaven-grade weapons, the user would need corresponding formidable strength.
Moreover, Lin Dongming’s weapon was quite ordinary—Bai Zhiqing estimated it wasn’t above the profound grade. This meant Lin Dongming had relied entirely on the pure force of his strike to knock out his opponent.
From the opponent’s attack to his defeat, only a few breaths of time had passed. Even a late Golden Core fighting an early Golden Core might not be this fast.
“…Interesting,” Hong Xing said to his companion. “Leave this one to me. You handle the other one.”
Hong Xing drew an impressive earth-grade longsword and took a pill that enhanced spiritual energy before beginning to attack Lin Dongming with a continuous stream of sword-controlling techniques.
“As expected of an official’s son, so wealthy it’s obscene,” Lin Dongming sneered, constantly avoiding the flying swords coming his way.
During the duel at the Sword Dance Platform, at least both sides weren’t allowed to use pills. So the Hong Xing Lin Dongming faced now was considerably stronger than the one Bai Zhiqing had faced earlier.
—These flying swords are too dense.
Lin Dongming found it a bit difficult to dodge even with the Heavenly Mirror Heart Technique. Someone else would likely be severely injured very quickly.
“So what? You think a penniless nobody like you can defeat me? What good is talent without resources?” Hong Xing sneered. Lin Dongming’s earlier comment seemed to have led to a misunderstanding.
“You think this guarantees your victory?” Lin Dongming worried for Duyuan Peak’s decline: this kind of official’s son clearly couldn’t shoulder important responsibilities.
Indeed, Lin Dongming currently appeared to be exerting all his energy just to dodge, but that didn’t mean he had no capacity to counterattack.
“Tough talk, boy. I’m going to cut off your head!” Hong Xing’s flying swords grew increasingly dense.
“…” Lin Dongming was getting a bit angry.
While fighting between sect disciples was forbidden at Tianjian Sword Sect, it could be treated as a minor or major offense. As long as your master was willing to take responsibility and protect you, there usually wouldn’t be serious consequences.
But killing a fellow disciple was a major crime, theoretically severely punished regardless of who committed it.
Lin Dongming and Bai Zhiqing clearly had no killing intent; otherwise, Lin Dongming wouldn’t have merely knocked out his opponent earlier.
But now Hong Xing had murderous intent, even knowing his opponents were likely people he had oppressed seeking revenge.
“You’re quite arrogant yourself,” Lin Dongming raised his eyebrows and gripped his sword tightly.
“Hmph, blame your bad luck for being born with rotten fate!” Hong Xing shot out cold streams of light.
Duyuan Sword Technique: Falling Star!
Heavenly Mirror Heart Technique: Breaking Void!
Lin Dongming slashed through Hong Xing’s flying swords with one strike, his form appearing ghost-like before Hong Xing: “Then… I wish you better luck in your next life.”
One slash descended.
The terrifying killing intent gave Hong Xing the illusion that his head was flying high. The next moment, he had lost consciousness.
Meanwhile, on Bai Zhiqing’s side, she seemed to be in a tough battle.
The quite capable Bai Zhiqing was actually at a disadvantage. Although Bai Zhiqing had experienced some real combat, her opponent seemed slightly superior in both experience and cultivation, completely dominating her.
It was quite difficult for an early Golden Core to face a mid Golden Core.
“Need help?” Lin Dongming flew to Bai Zhiqing’s vicinity.
“No need. Just watch,” Bai Zhiqing said with some difficulty.
“But you don’t look like you’re winning at all,” Lin Dongming ignored her pride and prepared to help.
The man in black didn’t take Lin Dongming seriously: “Winning twice seems to have made you quite proud. But do you think I’m like them?”
Lin Dongming deliberately provoked him: “Not that much difference, really.”
The man in black gave a cold laugh: “You’re welcome to try.”
“Listen carefully,” Lin Dongming transmitted. “I won’t steal your kill, so I’ll just provide you with opportunities to attack. Make good use of them.”
“No need for you to emphasize that,” Bai Zhiqing was clearly unwilling to admit defeat.
“Finished your discussion?” The man in black raised his sword. “Then die!”
Duyuan Sword Technique: Crescent Moon Break!
The same Crescent Moon Break move, but the power unleashed by the man in black was more than doubled compared to Hong Xing’s!
Flying swords rained down on the two, seemingly unstoppable.
Lin Dongming laughed coldly and slashed out.
Heavenly Mirror Heart Technique: Breaking Army!
Lin Dongming’s sword rapidly enlarged, sweeping away the man in black’s flying swords in swathes.
“What!” The man in black was greatly shocked.
Now’s the chance!
Bai Zhiqing had already rushed in front of the man in black.
Seven Ultimate Heaven Swords: Blazing Wind!
One slash toward the opponent’s chest.
But a black sword suddenly appeared in the man in black’s left hand, slashing toward Bai Zhiqing. At their speeds, if Bai Zhiqing didn’t evade, both would be injured.
But in the next moment, a nameless longsword appeared in the black sword’s path, momentarily blocking its attack.
Though it was just for an instant, it was enough.
Enough for Bai Zhiqing’s sword to cut through the opponent’s chest.
“You little…” The man in black glanced unwillingly at Lin Dongming before being cut down by Bai Zhiqing’s sword.
As the cold light flashed past, blood splattered.