Chapter 280: Battle Between Experts
Erlan giggled, but continued to subtly retreat. Ah, shit, that snake reached fifth realm? If even one more of them succeeds, Im outnumbered. Plus, Im unlikely to steal any souls with the All-Heavens Sect around I think its time to beat a tactical retreat.
Circling overhead, a certain crow followed as Erlan backed away.
Drawing me away from your partner? As if Id let you! Get back here! Ding Qinwen shouted. He drew his hand back, and a golden bow materialized in his hands. A ghostly arrow grew brighter and brighter until it appeared a solid, metallic gold. He fired the bow. The arrow flew toward Erlan, fast as light, a gold chain rattling after it.
Erlan quickly drew a shield. The arrow slammed into the ink shield, and ink flew everywhere as it shattered. Ink coated the arrow. Erlans eyes glinted, and he flicked his fingers. The arrow shuddered, then spun about and flew back toward Ding Qinwen instead. Partner? Are you blind?
Ding Qinwen grit his teeth and clenched his fist, detonating the arrow before it struck him. A mouthful of blood sprayed out of his mouth from the backlash of detonating his own attack, and he stumbled back.
The ink coating the arrow became a fine mist from the detonation, and Erlans eyes glinted again. He reached out and created a ball with his hands. The ink encapsulated Ding Qinwen, each fine droplet circling around him. The droplets grew long spikes and rushed inward, seeking to turn Ding Qinwen into an ink pincushion.
Eyes wide, Ding Qinwen drew a large sheet from his spatial bag and swiftly covered himself with it, hunkering beneath it at the same time. The ink spikes struck the sheet, but not a single one pierced it.
A gift from your master? Youre not the only one with a powerful Master, Erlan chuckled. He flicked his hand, and a black iron spike appeared, oozing powerful black qi. Another gesture sent it flying toward Ding Qinwen. It pierced the sheet. Ding Qinwen let out a pitiful cry, and in the next instant, the sheet fell apart, strings unraveling around the place where the spike struck it until the entire sheet crumbled away. A deep wound dripped putrid blood from Ding Qinwens gut, the spear piercing him completely through and poking out his back.
Gritting his teeth, Ding Qinwen drew an elixir and drank it in a single gulp. Grimacing, he yanked the black spike out of his gut and tossed it to the ground. He flexed his hands, and gold gauntlets appeared over them. A gold cape flew out behind him, and when he reached out, a gold lance appeared in his hand.
He looked down on Erlan. Did you think Id only been gifted one treasure by Master Gui?
Erlan laughed lightly, amused. He shook his head. Only a crude master who cared little for his underlings would gift such general-use items. My Master has thoughtfully prepared gifts that belong to me alone!
He waved his finger. A huge inkstone appeared behind him. Ice cold yin energy and death qi rolled off it in waves, as though the ink itself had been condensed from yin and death qi. Erlan waved his finger again, and a giant scroll appeared beside the inkstone. He threw his brush toward the scroll. It flickered across the scroll, creating the form of a fearsome beast with a lions head, a snake for a tail, two lizard-like claws, and eagles wings. The creature roared and rushed off the scroll toward Ding Qinwen.
An earth-splitting crack rang out. Hui tensed, but no pain burst out. Confused, he peered around. To the right, a thick bolt of lightning pierced the lotus beast.
Oh, that was her final blow. Okay. Well, she did start before me. Hui adjusted his state again. The tribulation aura gathered, growing to the absolute peak.
KABLAM!
Hui frowned. No pain? Id expect the final strike to
Tribulation power continued to gather. He peeked an eye open and looked around. To his left, Jin Xian bared her teeth and slashed down at the Underworldly Tribulation, fighting against the final blow.
BAM!
Okay, this time Eh? Still no tribulation? Hui frowned, a bit lost. But everyone else has already
Tribulation clouds gathered over Lu Lintei. She looked up and scowled. What? Im not ready to transcend my tribulation yet. Im not fully rested!
Martial Sister Lu Lintei! Zhi Ahn shouted, concerned.
Hui squinted up at his own tribulation clouds. Are you ever going to
Gold and black struck at the same instant. His entire vision turned black and gold, the two colors flickering, blacking out his world. Hui trembled uncontrollably. Tribulation power invaded his every meridian and seared through his passages. His flesh cooked, and his dantian spun wildly, on the verge of surging out of control.
Ive got to make it! Dont fight back! Absorb it! Absorb it, Hui! Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m