Book 8: Chapter 38: Sudden Strike
Book 8: Chapter 38: Sudden Strike
The feeling of soul force moving through torn, sticky and damaged blood vessels was too painful. Chi Xiaoye, whose entire body was soaked in sweat, once again woke up from meditation cultivation because of the pain.
The battle she experienced was the battle of the greatest scale that happened here for a long time. Meanwhile, this battle was also too dangerous, too intense. Those who didn’t personally experience it definitely wouldn’t be able to imagine the scene of hundreds of monster alligators raised by the cave barbarians, many giant lizard riders and thousands of powerful cave barbarian soldiers dying while facing Yunqin’s army.
In this battle, she saw all types of unimaginable powerful Yunqin military equipment, Wind God Crossbows that could kill State Knight level cultivators, lotus crescent blades that could hack open carriages, catapults that could throw hundreds of jin of melted steel more than a thousand steps out, heavy armored warriors who could even smash giant alligators into blasts of bloody mist… she also met many powerful Yunqin cultivators.
The outer surface of her body didn’t seem to have any injuries, but the inside of her body was wounded severely. Many blood vessels were split open, blasted by great power until many fine holes were produced.
This was precisely the reason why even guiding wisps of soul force would make her body shake so intensely, producing such injuries that would disrupt meditation cultivation that was even deeper than sleep, that she previously couldn’t seize the advantage when facing a low level cultivator like Lin Xi at all.
Her entire body shook slightly, her eyes opening.
She saw that Lin Xi was still steadily continuing meditation cultivation, his breathing exceptionally calm. Wisps of vital energy only cultivators of her level could sense slowly entered his body, the soul force within his body also starting to strengthen bit by bit.
Lin Xi’s expression was exceptionally calm and gentle.
The emotions she felt inside were instead extremely complicated.
Just what kind of Yunqin cultivator was this?
There was that type of zither master and a Sacred Expert level individual, moreover not just an ordinary Sacred Expert, but rather a terrifying Sacred Expert archer who followed him, all for the sake of guaranteeing his safety.
How could his injuries heal so quickly? However, she knew that for Lin Xi to take that step for her to trust him, it was more difficult than for her.
There was nothing more real than life and death.
“We are enemies… I will believe you for now…”
She could not change the innate enmity she felt towards Yunqin and Lin Xi, so she also felt like she couldn’t think about this too deeply. Only, in the decision of kill or not kill, she chose to not kill right now.
This green-pupiled young lady who had a tough and durable nature, but because of those cave barbarian soldiers’ blood, couldn’t help but weep in sorrow, closed her eyes again, continuing to cultivate.
However, this time, before she entered meditation cultivation, she suddenly sensed a bit of a dangerous aura.
Her expression immediately changed greatly. She reached out her hand, flicking a piece of black dirt at Lin Xi.
…
Lin Xi woke up.
The meditation cultivation this time made his entire body feel as if it was soaked in extremely warm spring water, but also as if there was a sun within him, sending endless radiance into his flesh. This warmth was extremely comfortable, especially when the warmth made his mind feel incredibly clear, his senses also becoming even sharper.
He knew that this instance of meditation cultivation was the same as the official gathering of all of the benefits he obtained since he entered the Great Desolate Swamp, resulting in the rise of his cultivation.
The great terror between life and death… was the best form of cultivation. These past few days of cultivation were actually not inferior to who knew how many days of normal cultivation. The aura released from his skin and hair felt even more clear.
Lin Xi felt even more carefree now, knowing that if he faced several more of these life and death struggles, perhaps as long as he had enough food, without even needing any spiritual methods, his soul force could already leave his body, naturally breaking through into Soul Master level of cultivation.
If the emperor understood what he was thinking, that this instead helped with his cultivation, raising his cultivation bit by bit, would he become angry because of a little figure like him?
Normally, Lin Xi would definitely think about this, and he would think about this extremely happily.
However now, the moment he saw Chi Xiaoye’s expression, he knew that now wasn’t the time to be feeling complacent about himself.
Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly got up, moved close to Chi Xiaoye’s side, and then asked with a low voice, “Can you move freely yet?”
“I can.” Chi Xiaoye nodded and said, “But I cannot use all my strength, and this can only continue for a very short amount of time.”
Lin Xi nodded. He didn’t say anything else, only waiting.
It was because right now, he already sensed the strange wind flow all around, meaning that the other party, through some unknown methods, already locked onto their position. Right now, they were already surrounded.
A moment later, the enemy that rushed in from all directions already couldn’t conceal the continuous sound of footsteps and that of clothes brushing against lavender stalks and leaves. Then, these enemies decided not to hide themselves anymore either, sounds of sharp blades quickly leaving their scabbards released wave upon wave.
Sixty to seventy fierce bandits dressed in all types of different clothing appeared in Lin Xi and Chi Xiaoye’s sight. These bandits naturally weren’t adapted to this place like the cave barbarians, many of their bodies carrying festering wounds that released waves of rotting smell.
Then, both he and Chi Xiaoye saw Wei Xianwu who led the two Skyroot Otters and Xu Ningshen at his side.
…
When Xu Ningshen saw Lin Xi, his body suddenly developed a bit of life. His entire mind immediately sank into a type of indescribable fanatical state.
“Why aren’t you running anymore?”
“Even though this Great Desolate Swamp is large, with these two Skyroot Otters after your tail, even if you continued running, where could you go?”
He began to smile maliciously, his expression almost not like that of a human’s. Several mushy ulcers on his face burst, thick blood flowing alongside his face, but he didn’t seem to notice anything.
“I never expected you to be here too.”
Lin Xi saw Wei Xianwu, shaking his head. Without paying Xu Ningshen’s malicious smile any attention, he turned around to ask Chi Xiaoye, “What are these two Skyroot Otters he is talking about? Are they like hunting dogs, specially used for tracking?”
The instant she saw those two Skyroot Otters, Chi Xiaoye’s expression became even more serious. When she heard Lin Xi’s words, she nodded and said, “Yes, only, their noses are who knows how many times sharper… They can even smell underground objects. These two fellas must be killed first, or else the target will be quickly caught.”
Lin Xi calmly looked at these two sloth-like creatures, but their bodies were clearly larger. With a voice only the two of them could hear, he asked, “How is their fighting strength?”
Chi Xiaoye said, “Even though they have some strength, their reactions aren’t fast… so they don’t have much fighting abilities.”
“Lin Xi.” Wei Xianwu also coldly spoke out at this time. “I said before to please just wait, only, I wonder if you still remember those words.”
“Let’s not stay here first, we should break out eastward.” Under Wei Xianwu’s ice-cold voice, Chi Xiaoye continued to say towards Lin Xi.
Lin Xi turned around to look at her, quietly saying, “Weren’t we going to kill these two things first?”
Chi Xiaoye gave him a look and said, “We need to kill them first, but as for where we kill them, we have a choice. Moreover, these two are both cultivators, it is unknown whether or not we are a match for them.”
Lin Xi nodded, no longer saying any more nonsense, instead saying quietly with a serious tone, “Your injuries are too serious, unable to make fierce movements for a long time… in a bit, should I carry you?”
Chi Xiaoye’s beautiful brows frowned. After remaining silent for a bit, she instead decisively nodded. “Okay.”
“For Yunqin to produce soldiers like you all, it truly is humiliating.”
When Lin Xi saw the direction Chi Xiaoye pointed towards, he produced a dagger from his sleeves, and then bent down slightly, making it easy for Chi Xiaoye to jump onto his back. Then, he said this towards Xu Ningshen and Wei Xianwu with a grave tone.
Chi Xiaoye moved to his back.
Then, without waiting for Xu Ningshen or Wei Xianwu to say anything, he rushed out like an arrow leaving a bowstring.
A burst of vicious screams immediately sounded in this sea of purple flowers.
Lin Xi’s Daybreak Longsword was previously lost in the battle with Purgatory Mountain’s Sacred Expert. Even though the Divine Pear Longbow was still hanging from his body, of the arrows he brought out from the academy, one was damaged, one was brought away by that cave barbarian when he retreated from South Star Slope and another one was by the previous battlefield with Purgatory Mountain’s Sacred Expert. That was why right now, the only soul weapon he could rely on, was this emerald green dagger.
However, this didn’t mean that his strength would decrease at all.
When he took the third step, he already crossed more than ten meters of distance, the emerald green dagger fiercely stabbing into the chest of the first bandit in front of him.
This valiant bandit released a miserable scream. The longsword that missed wanted to strike again, leave behind a wound on Lin Xi as well, but his body was already sent backwards by Lin Xi’s strike.
Because this bandit was sent flying, the dagger that didn’t pull back at all left this bandit’s chest while carrying a trail of blood. Then, it continued to move forward, cutting through the throat of another bandit to Lin Xi’s left, making this bandit’s breathing instantly come to a rigid stop.
Lin Xi continued forward, a foot kicking out, striking the chest of the third bandit, sending him tumbling outwards. When this bandit landed on the ground, he continued to slide along the earth.
None of these bandits feared death, not backing up in horror because of Lin Xi’s thunderous strikes. They still continued to charge with fierce shouts, frantically brandishing the blades in their hands towards Lin Xi and Chi Xiaoye’s body.
However, not a single blade could touch Lin Xi. Lin Xi charged crazily, with every step, a bandit screamed miserably before falling.
While surrounded by these bandits who didn’t fear death, Lin Xi’s mind also immediately became concentrated to the extreme. However, even though these bandits were fierce, their strength couldn’t compare to cave barbarian soldiers, their power and speed inferior. That was why as Lin Xi charged and slaughtered his way through, there was a type of carefree and easygoing feeling. As his sharp blade cut through their flesh in a domineering and fierce manner, blood rushing out at both sides, there was suddenly a bit of an invincible Braveslayer feeling.