Chapter 134: Battle!

Gu Shi trusted Lin Yanghao’s words implicitly and immediately dodged the attack from Master Changshan.

Bang!

As Master Changshan’s palm struck down, the very heavens seemed to change color, and the ground beneath the impact collapsed into a massive crater. Gu Shi felt a lingering fear, his heart racing uncontrollably; he dared not imagine the consequences had that blow landed on him. He owed it all to Lin Yanghao; had it not been for his warning, he would likely have been reduced to dust by now.

Gu Shi cast a look of gratitude toward Lin Yanghao. He resolved that he must overcome his habit of carelessness, lest he suffer a disastrous defeat or fall because of it.

"How can your strength be so formidable after your spirit has left your body?" Gu Shi asked, his face full of disbelief. The power the opponent was displaying was in no way inferior to his own; it was completely inconsistent with a mere spirit-out-of-body manifestation. Of course, Gu Shi could not have known that this was all due to the secret technique employed by True Lord Yu Ding.

"That is none of your concern. If you have any courage, stop dodging and face me head-on!" Master Changshan had no time to waste; all he wanted now was to end the battle quickly.

"Do you think I fear you, old man?" Gu Shi, no longer daring to underestimate his opponent, immediately unleashed his own signature skills.

"You old scoundrel, you’re courting death!" Master Changshan roared. His time was running out, so he exerted his full strength the moment he attacked. The truth was, the longer the battle dragged on, the greater the toll on him, and that would lead to a dire situation indeed.

"Is that so? You underestimate me far too much!" Gu Shi immediately deployed his ultimate technique, the "Netherwind Slaughter Art." Swirls of chilling, spectral wind rose up, enveloping Master Changshan. The wind was bone-chilling; even Lin Yanghao, standing outside the fray, could not help but shudder.

Master Changshan, naturally, was not to be outdone. He unleashed another Heaven-Turning Great Handprint toward Gu Shi. As the palm print descended, most of the ghostly wind was dissipated. Lin Yanghao was stunned—could Gu Shi’s "Netherwind Slaughter Art" not withstand a single blow from Master Changshan?

"I thought you were something special; it was nothing but a cheap trick. Truly pathetic," Master Changshan remarked, a look of disdain flashing across his face as the winds vanished.

"Boy! Come here!" Yu Laosan, who had been watching from the side, could no longer contain himself; the sight of Lin Yanghao made his skin crawl with irritation. With that, he lunged toward Lin Yanghao.

Lin Yanghao had been observing Yu Laosan’s every move since he first appeared. After all, they were enemies, and judging by the man’s demeanor, he was determined to see him dead. Lin Yanghao dared not lower his guard; it would be a tragic injustice to die here. The moment Yu Laosan moved, Lin Yanghao had already activated his Qiyou Ghost Steps and fled.

"Boy, if you have any courage, stop running!" Yu Laosan was frustrated. The opponent had used this escape technique again; how was he supposed to catch him? He couldn't even touch the hem of his robe.

"If you have the guts, come and chase me! I don't mean to mock you, but for someone like you, I could take on a hundred!" Lin Yanghao smirked.

"Don't let me catch you, or you’re dead!" Yu Laosan was livid, glaring at the smirking Lin Yanghao not far away. He turned his rage into power, bombarding the area where Lin Yanghao had been. But a Golden Core stage cultivator was still just a Golden Core stage cultivator; no matter how strong, how could he compare to his own Spirit Severing stage power?

"Oh? Is that all you’ve got? Wait until you catch me first," Lin Yanghao laughed.

"How did my Alchemy Sect produce such a piece of trash!" True Lord Jin Ming watched everything, his dissatisfaction with Yu Laosan boiling over. It was one thing to fail against Gu Shi, but to be unable to even catch a small Golden Core cultivator was a disgrace.

If not for the sake of his reputation, True Lord Jin Ming would have stepped in himself, though he feared the accusation of a powerful elder bullying a junior. As for Yu Laosan, his mood was no better. With everyone watching, if the last time was shameful, this was an embarrassment of epic proportions.

"Stop spouting nonsense, boy! All you do is scurry around like a turtle. You might as well change your name to 'Cowardly Turtle' from now on," Yu Laosan spat, resorting to provocation. He hoped Lin Yanghao would take the bait; if he stopped running, would there be any suspense left?

"Why are you so impatient? I was just loosening my muscles before the real fight. I’m not afraid of you, ghost. If you can survive even one move from me, I’ll call it your win," Lin Yanghao said, a cold glint in his eyes. He had never truly considered Yu Laosan a threat; despite his Spirit Severing stage cultivation, he was just that—a Spirit Severing stage cultivator. How many years had he been cultivating? Probably not even a fraction of the time this old man had. If he were given time to reach the same level, few in the entire Spirit Realm would be his match.

Of course, Lin Yanghao currently lacked the strength to go toe-to-toe with Yu Laosan. The reason he dared to speak this way was because of Ling’er. This was a critical moment, and she had no choice but to intervene.

"Ling’er, are your injuries truly healed? Don't take any risks; I can just run away with my Qiyou Ghost Steps," Lin Yanghao whispered, still worried. She had only just recovered from a grave illness, and he would never forgive himself if something happened to her.

"Don't worry," Ling’er giggled. "I absorbed so much extreme cold energy that not only has my body recovered, but my strength has even improved slightly."

"That’s good, but don't push yourself. If you get hurt again, I have no idea where to find more Star-King Purple Iron," Lin Yanghao said, finally feeling a weight lift from his heart.

"Do you have so little faith in me? Last time I fought off several mid-grade spirit beasts, and even high-grade ones. Why are you suddenly doubting me now that it’s just him?" Ling’er’s voice chimed.

Hearing this, Lin Yanghao felt at ease. He looked at Yu Laosan with a mocking smile. Ling’er was right; she had handled piles of mid-grade spirit beasts before, and that was in the past. Now, it would be even easier. Lin Yanghao already envisioned the miserable end awaiting Yu Laosan.

If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for coming after me.