Chapter 102: Combat Power

For the past two and a half years, Su Jingzhen had rarely engaged in combat, resulting in a severe lack of battle experience. Thus, ambushing with the black brick and catching people off guard proved to be the most practical approach.At this moment, he had not yet had a chance to properly feel or adapt to his newfound massive blood energy. Coordinating it directly in battle would be the best way.

He also noticed that after unlocking the Surging Spring acupoint in his right foot, his stance seemed more stable, and his entire body more coordinated.

“Three strikes! If Mr. Su can withstand my three strikes, I’ll decide to let you go!”

The black-clad man now stood ten feet away from Su Jingzhen, a faint smile on his face, but the murderous intent around him remained as intense as before.

While speaking, the aura around him surged, and he swiftly formed a hand seal. The blood-dripping flying sword in his hand slashed towards Su Jingzhen once more.

Having advanced to the Flesh Body Spiritual Embryo stage, Su Jingzhen felt much more composed. Faced with the seemingly more ferocious sword strike, he still did not dodge.

The blood energy of the Flesh Body Spiritual Embryo flowed into his right hand’s Labor Palace acupoint, ready to explode once again.

He swung the brick directly at the flying sword.

“Ding!”

This strike was significantly more powerful than the previous one. Another crisp collision sound echoed.

This time, the flying sword did not return to the black-clad man’s hand. Instead, it was broken at the tip by the impact of the black brick.

Moreover, Su Jingzhen was not pushed back by the recoil of the flying sword. Instead, he firmly stepped forward with his left foot, his body leaning forward. With a rolling move, he closed the distance to the black-clad man.

“Hehe!”

Su Jingzhen flashed a bright, toothy grin at the black-clad man. This warm smile sent a chill down the man’s spine, leaving him thoroughly shocked.

Could this guy actually grow stronger with a stronger opponent?

The black-clad man’s recent flying sword attack was a level more powerful than the previous one. He thought this strike would be enough to subdue Su Jingzhen. Unexpectedly, the situation took such a drastic turn.

At this moment, Su Jingzhen was still in a forward-leaning, half-squatting position from the roll. But the black brick in his hand was once again swung out, this time aiming precisely at a critical point, half a foot below the man’s abdomen.

“Damn!”

This strike could be called the “lineage-ending brick!”

“Bang!”

However, this vicious strike did not hit the black-clad man’s vital spot. Just as the black brick was about to make contact, a golden energy shield appeared in front of the man’s crotch.

A bang sounded as Su Jingzhen was once again pushed back by the impact. The golden light dissipated, and a broken talisman fell to the ground.

In that critical moment, the black-clad man had used a golden defense talisman. It was powerful enough to withstand an attack comparable to the Foundation Establishment stage, indicating that it was not of low grade and certainly not cheap.

The black-clad man didn’t have time to mourn the loss of the talisman. His eyes, now filled with seriousness, fixed on Su Jingzhen.

“What a powerful Body Cultivator!”

He couldn’t help but praise. Without that golden talisman, he didn’t dare imagine what the outcome of that brick strike would have been.

“You still have two more strikes left, don’t you? Or should I go first?”

Su Jingzhen’s face still bore that warm, gentle smile, but his words were filled with mockery. He tightened his grip on the black brick.

The recent counterattack had caught his opponent off guard but also helped him find his rhythm. The blood energy of the Flesh Body Spiritual Embryo stage surged more vigorously within him.

He knew well that when a Body Cultivator faced a Qi Refiner, the key was surprise and a swift, decisive battle. Otherwise, if the opponent recovered and created some distance to bombard him with spells, he would be at a significant disadvantage.

Blood energy converged at the Surging Spring acupoints in both feet. With a stomp, Su Jingzhen launched himself like a human cannonball toward the black-clad man.

Body Cultivators had the advantage of never fearing close combat.

As Su Jingzhen moved, the black-clad man’s expression became even more serious. With a swift hand seal, the broken tip of the flying sword on the ground was drawn back into his hand by his spiritual command.

Facing Su Jingzhen’s fierce charge, he had no room to retreat. Gripping the broken sword with both hands, he slashed down vertically to meet Su Jingzhen’s brick head-on.

He knew very well that engaging in close combat with a powerful Body Cultivator was extremely foolish. However, he had no other choice; if he couldn’t block this strike, there would be no chance for retreat.

“Clang!”

The sound of metal clashing echoed once more. Despite the surge of spiritual power within the black-clad man, it was no match for a genuine Body Cultivator.

The black-clad man’s body was abruptly blasted backward, nearly crashing into a peach tree.

Though he had gripped the broken sword with both hands, the sword flew out of his grasp. He felt as though his arms had been shattered at the moment of impact.

Nevertheless, he used the recoil from the impact to put some distance between himself and Su Jingzhen. Fear was now etched across the black-clad man’s face. He sensed a hint of death emanating from Su Jingzhen.

Before Su Jingzhen could charge at him again, the black-clad man didn’t hesitate. He took a step and leaped onto the rooftop. Pulling out another, albeit lower-quality, flying sword, he flew away immediately.

Seeing this, Su Jingzhen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator, after all?”

Muttering to himself, he glanced at the black brick in his hand, and a smile reappeared on his face.

“This really is useful.”

Having just broken through to the Flesh Body Spiritual Embryo stage and managing to repel a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was exceedingly satisfied with his achievement.

If the man hadn’t fled so quickly, Su Jingzhen was confident that he could have killed him within a couple more moves.

Putting away the black brick, Su Jingzhen once again sensed the blood energy of his Flesh Body Spiritual Embryo stage. Clenching his fist lightly, he relished the feeling of power coursing through him.

Shortly after, he arrived under the peach blossom tree, where a corpse still lay. Seaʀch* The Nôvel(F)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“That guy earlier said he helped me take care of a bandit. It seems this unlucky fellow was the one. Looks like he left me some work to do.”

Seeing the corpse, Su Jingzhen knew that even without the Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, he might have had to kill today anyway. After all, this bandit had already broken into his home, clearly seeking his own death.

Muttering to himself, Su Jingzhen picked up the corpse. With a step, he leaped over the wall.

“Dead is dead, but at least die far away. Don’t die in my courtyard.”