Chapter 294: Fierce Battle with an Early-Stage Nascent Soul (5k, please subscribe)

At the hour of early morning.

The sky was still dim.

In the inner city of Changle City, so early in the morning, a young man walked out of his home.

He had just finished his cultivation, feeling refreshed and full of magic power, the luster of his Golden Core even brighter by a few shades; he felt that he was in his absolute prime.

Therefore, it was time to go to the practice grounds to practice spells!

Full of drive and brimming with motivation, he was going to work hard, strive, and forge ahead.

It was just that, walking on this usual path, he looked up and did not see that beautiful, graceful figure in the high pavilion of the City Lord's Mansion in the distance.

This situation inevitably made his motivation wilt a little, but turning his head, he immediately cheered himself on again.

As long as he worked hard and strove for self-improvement, sooner or later, there would be a year when he could step into that City Lord's Mansion and reach the side of that beauty!

Just as he was thinking this, he turned the corner and saw the road as it always was.

Hmm?

Something wasn't right?

Relying on his familiarity with this place, he keenly sensed that something was off, but when he focused his gaze to check, whether with his eyes or his divine sense, he could not see any problem.

If he had to say what the problem was, it was that it was too quiet?

Unlike the usual morning quiet—or perhaps it should be said that mornings were never truly quiet—those Foundation Establishment cultivators living in the special single rooms, smelling the psychedelic incense, should still be cultivating day and night...

That's right!

Because when in this state, the spiritual Qi in the inner city would present an orderly flow, as if there were a stream flowing out of thin air, passing through a wilderness, naturally seeping toward every part of the banks along the way.

But now, there was none of this!

That abundant fifth-rank spiritual Qi was, at this moment, like a pool of stagnant water, silent and still, which was frightening!

The young man suddenly turned his head to look toward the Foundation Establishment single rooms, where building after building, like prison cells, were shrouded in psychedelic incense; looking from afar, they were not very distinct, as if they were illusory!

Bad, this is bad?

Because the situation came too suddenly and was too baffling, he found it hard to comprehend and was momentarily stunned, not knowing if he should call this situation a problem, or if it was bad.

So he stood frozen in place, which made the people silently watching this place unable to help but stir.

As if sensing this hidden malice brewing, the young man trembled slightly, then, pretending nothing had happened, he lowered his head and walked quickly, running toward his practice grounds.

Because the enemies who could run into this inner city were definitely not something he, a mere Golden Core cultivator, could handle, so at this time, although he was a bit worried about the situation at the City Lord's Mansion, it is said that if one does not look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them.

Therefore, now was the time to diligently cultivate; he could not be distracted!

So, under the gaze of several pairs of eyes, he trotted all the way to his usual practice grounds, outside a large, high-walled residence that looked ordinary on the outside but actually contained a different world within.

Forget it, Du En is what matters!

Three gazes in the shadows began to retract, suppressing their restless thoughts.

They suppressed theirs, but Du En did not.

Found you...

Earlier, after sneaking all the way back, as soon as Du En entered the city, he discovered that the situation was not right.

There were traces left behind!

The enemy seemed to have run over in a hurry, lying in wait at the place where he was most likely to appear, wanting to do something!

"A bit of a hysterical feeling."

Du En thought this calmly and continued to sneak forward coolly.

However, after he arrived in the inner city, he did not pinpoint the specific location of the enemies.

Thus, his thoughts changed again.

"They aren't lying in wait where I'm most likely to appear, but are using my boldness, or perhaps my arrogance, to intentionally leave traces to lure me into taking the bait?"

No matter what was going on, in short, because the opponent might be that type of Nascent Soul hidden within a Golden Core, even if he had to fight them viciously, he needed to find the target first, then ambush them to weaken the opponent as much as possible.

Although that secret technique could cut and hide a Nascent Soul, the price was also very obvious; once the Golden Core serving as the vessel was blasted, the Nascent Soul part parasitizing inside would also perish and wither away.

However, the best course of action right now was naturally to wait for reinforcements from other sides and not take risks lightly.

So Du En did not act rashly, deciding secretly that if he really couldn't find the opponent and had no chance to weaken them, he would wear them down, wearing them down until Ying Dongqing and the others arrived.

He began to observe from the shadows just like that.

The opponent was hiding very well; from the fifth watch until just now, he hadn't found a single trace.

And having waited so long without his side's Nascent Soul returning, the situation was very clear: whether it was Ying Dongqing's side or Zhang Qing's side, they were currently being held back by the enemy.

But relatively speaking, the Fudong Immortal Sect shouldn't have much spare power left either, otherwise they would have already caused some small commotion to see if Du En had arrived.

They appeared exceptionally cautious and restrained, so perhaps only one group had come here, that is, the combination of one Nascent Soul and three Golden Cores.

If that hidden secret technique really required three people and three Golden Cores.

And then there was now, as the sky had just brightened.

The appearance of that striving young man, who had met Du En once before, caused a small change in the situation.

Because the Fudong cultivators had the intention to strike, some clues inevitably surfaced, which were detected by Du En.

"They haven't been able to control the whole scene; it seems it really was a hasty act, and they are already unable to restrain themselves. It seems they feel time is tight... Of course, it could also be a trap, but right now we are in Changle City, and I can be considered the host. Although I cannot control it directly, as long as I have the intention, I can still create movements that trigger the city's defenses."

The only way the Fudong Immortal Sect could kill Du En here was to kill him swiftly and fiercely before he could do that!

The previous ambushes and assassinations were aimed at this, so they all fought in close quarters, intending to decide life and death in a single encounter!

This time was no exception, so contrary to Du En's slight expectations, those three people were quite close right now, presumably intending to reveal their trump card as soon as they discovered him!

That actually makes it convenient for me...

Du En repeatedly activated his Ice Breath Art, moving cautiously and quietly until he arrived behind them.

Since the decision had been made, there was no hesitation; he launched a fierce sneak attack!

Wrapped in an ice shell, beneath the shell was golden flame, inside the golden flame was a wooden stake, and beneath the wooden stake was a reddish-brown hue.

Inexhaustible Azure Spirit Body, Wood-Spike of Soul-Devouring, Golden Flame Art, Ice Breath Art.

Furthermore, the Golden Core vibrated quietly, the pupils began to shine brilliantly, and the mana star-ring rotated, casting out magnificent, tangible mana.

Disintegrate, erupt, boom!

Boom boom!

Bang bang!

The young man had not yet stepped into the practice field when he heard the loud commotion coming from the other side of the street; he intentionally wanted to avoid it and dared not look directly, but his divine sense still caught a glimpse.

Two corpses leaped and flew out directly from the shadows, landing on the street surface, shattering the hard floor; golden flames danced on their bodies, long wooden spikes were embedded in them, and they were even covered in some frost.

What made the young man feel most horrified, as if experiencing phantom pain, was that their lower dantian had already been pierced through, the Golden Core inside had vanished without a trace, and only some fragments were scattered about, manifesting the traces of their former existence.

The aura remaining on these traces alone made him feel parched and trembling, unable to move his legs for a moment!

Golden Core Perfection?

A strong first-rate figure?

Regardless of which it was, it was far beyond his reach!

Yet even such a figure was now tossed on the stall board like two slabs of dead pig meat, completely devoid of any vitality, already dead as could be!

Who did this?!

"Du En!!!"

A sharp scream suddenly exploded, and another person darted out from the shadows.

The Golden Core Perfection that served as a camouflage shell had been stripped away, revealing the actual master within the fur and armor—a baby only three inches tall?

No!

It is a Nascent Soul!

The young man was instantly terrified and wanted to crawl away, but the momentum of the Nascent Soul stage had already exploded, spreading to the surroundings, causing his legs to go weak and making him collapse to the ground, his whole person immediately like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, completely unable to move.

It's over!

Tap.

A calm sound of footsteps suddenly appeared in his buzzing ears, possessing such a strong sense of presence that even the might of the Nascent Soul could not block it, forcing him to open his eyes.

Du En also appeared from the shadows at this moment, his momentum beginning to grow like a tree, absorbing the nutrients and fertility of the soil, then crazily surging upward, beginning to spread its branches.

In a trance, the young man and that Nascent Soul stage figure truly saw a tree growing vigorously on a vast expanse of yellow earth, becoming increasingly lush and tall, gradually crowding their field of vision.

"So what if it's a top-grade cultivation method? So what if it's the late stage of Golden Core? Since you were arrogant enough to dare to strike, instead of honestly waiting for that bitch to return, then today is your death anniversary!"

The sharp voice of the Nascent Soul stage figure directly woke the young man, but it also left him further dazed, only foolishly looking at that Nascent Soul.

Her body size suddenly grew, covering the flesh from the outside, and she quickly retrieved the physical body that had been hidden by some unknown method, once again accommodating it into the Nascent Soul.

The soul separated, returned to the Divine Palace, the three palaces resonated together, mana roared, and the momentum erupted, truly like a mountain torrent, directly collapsing and flattening the surrounding buildings.

Even though she had been ambushed by Du En and lost two-thirds of her Nascent Soul, by retrieving her physical body, she had made up for a portion; she now possessed half the strength of her prime.

A strong first-rate elite, early Nascent Soul stage!

In the blink of an eye, she completed this process, which was impossible to stop; she looked exquisite and delicate, with eyebrows like arched green hills, as if carved from jade and incense—truly a great beauty in every sense.

Moreover, she had just been without clothes, and even a fleeting glance caused a strong psychological shock to the young man in the distance, as if being killed by her now would be acceptable; after all, it was simply too beautiful...

Liu Rujin appeared angry but was actually calm; her goal was exceptionally clear: kill quickly to avoid accidents and prevent the effort from falling short!

Thus, at this moment, she wanted to take advantage of Du En being stunned by her generosity to directly strike ruthlessly and pull this young, vigorously growing tree out by its roots!

She charged with surging murderous intent, her methods brewing, about to unleash a thunderous strike!

However, facing the scene just now, Du En was not shaken or concerned at all, his gaze as calm as stagnant water in an old well.

Facing the roaring murderous momentum coming head-on, and the ruthless beauty who had suddenly appeared before him via spatial movement, he simply unleashed his own move.

Divine Ability, Burying Death and Flourishing Life!

Reflecting Life and Flourishing Prosperity!

Changes were quietly gestating, but in this instant, Liu Rujin's cold and silent heart skipped several beats; her superficial human nature felt it was somewhat absurd, because she actually felt an instinctive sense of fear toward this young man before her!

Then.

The next moment.

Bang!

She tilted her head back, looking at the sky, and in the eyes of her superficial human nature, a trace of bewilderment could not help but emerge, not understanding why it had turned out like this.

At the same time, two streams of red had already slipped out of her nasal cavity, making her eyes ache for a moment, followed by uncontrollable rage!

"You little brat, you dare to hit my face?"

While she was cursing, her hand did not waver in the slightest, her determination for a one-hit kill remained firm, and she struck directly at Du En's body.

But at the same time, having just tested his strength, his next strike followed closely behind.

This time, he hit the chest.

Bang!

Bang!

Both of them flew backward, crashing into the buildings behind them, directly turning them into a pile of waste.

Thump!

The ruins burying him were directly moved away by an invisible force; Du En was at ease, standing up straight, moving as smoothly as a slide.

At this moment, he only felt that his state was simply excellent; within his body, it was as if infinite vitality was surging from the void, which made no sense, yet in reality, it made perfect sense.

Therefore, even though he had taken that strike that Liu Rujin considered a sure-kill, it didn't really matter that he had been injured.

Because as soon as he was injured, he had already recovered, as if he were in a short, constantly refreshing, full-recovery state.

No, it was not just that.

It also caused his combat power to have a very obvious increase!

Boom!

"Wah!"

Liu Rujin, on the opposite side, shattered the ruins, then vomited blood incessantly, her surface expression one of extreme shock.

Furthermore, she could not help but cover her collapsed, vanished chest; although it should have been treated and devoid of emotional fluctuation, perhaps because two-thirds of her Nascent Soul had vanished and she was now injured, her current state tended toward her normally masked surface layer.

And so, she cried.

"Ahhh, my chest! Look at what you've done, you bastard! You cold-faced, stiff, expressionless, unscrupulous scum! Go to hell, you girl-killer!"

Regardless of the emotional state of her surface layer, her core foundation remained fundamentally unchanged, so she shrieked, performed a spatial shift, appeared directly behind Du En, and struck fiercely at his head.

Though her slender hand was white and soft, it could stain itself with blood and take lives!

A new secret technique had been quietly applied, changing her fighting style in an instant!

Blood God Decay!

So it's a burst secret technique achieved by stimulating vitality, is it? Then I'll rot and ruin everything, from your vitality to your soul...

Boom!

Du En countered with a fist to her palm, stopping her strike instantly.

On the surface, it appeared to be a gushing, exceptionally vigorous vitality, but in reality, it was not that at all.

Oh no?!

For a moment, Liu Rujin's surface layer was a mix of shock and confusion, not having expected to misjudge, and while her inner self was cold and mechanical, having already made a judgment, it was still too abrupt; thus, she was grabbed by the hair and head by Du En, and before she could react, he pulled her and slammed her into his knee.

"You..."

Subconsciously, she reached out to resist; after all, her chest was gone, but she had to protect her face.

However.

Boom!

Golden flames erupted, baring fangs and brandishing claws.

The wooden stake was tiny, sinister, and vicious.

Both moves were unleashed simultaneously; under the state of Flourishing Life, it felt as if they had reached a culmination, even approaching absolute perfection.

Just now, Du En had only feinted, giving the illusion that his physical combat power was only comparable to a Nascent Soul, but in reality, what Flourishing Life brought and covered was an all-encompassing situation where the existence of life itself was exceptionally highlighted and strengthened!

And so, caught off guard, Liu Rujin was successfully disfigured.

She performed a spatial shift to create distance, then tremblingly touched her face.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!"

The ghostly scream was sharp, born of extreme rage and sorrow.

"My situation is already this miserable, and you're still attacking the only treasures I have left?!"

No matter what, you cannot kill me.

Du En paid no attention to the woman's words; before he had even turned around, he unleashed a new move.

Statue Casting Art.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.

A giant hand of mud and stone suddenly reached out and grabbed Liu Rujin directly.

Subconsciously, she wanted to perform a spatial shift, but just as she was about to, her vision went black and her movements slowed by a beat, so she failed to dodge.

The reason was simple: the Dharma-Devouring Wooden Stake was now showing its terrifying side; after quietly inserting itself into her body, it began to crazily devour her mana and grow itself, and within a short time, it had already grown into her head, heading toward her Spirit Palace.

However, she was, after all, at the Nascent Soul stage, so she quickly detached from the interference of her physical body, switched to being fully dominated by her soul, and returned to the state of the Nascent Soul.

A flash of blood light appeared, and the Dharma-Devouring Wooden Stake began to wither.

However, the mud-stone statue had already grabbed her, and with a sudden burst of force, blood began to ooze out, and that delicate body was quickly mangled beyond recognition.

At the same time, Du En's next move was already brewing.

A giant cannon, twenty zhang in size, descended from the sky with a heavy shadow, directly shrouding her.

Meteor Rock Art?

There was no time to think; she was about to perform a spatial shift to avoid this strike.

But just as she broke free from the statue's giant hand, she saw wind and sand rising, obscuring her in all directions.

Amidst the roaring and wailing of the wind, she appeared staggering, her field of vision a deep yellow.

I can't dodge it!

She thought to herself.

Because the Wind and Sand Art had the effect of blocking divine sense, and it was being strengthened at this moment, it was enough to significantly and intensely interfere with her, and spatial shifting required the use of divine sense.

The so-called "thought-driven movement" was the essence of Nascent Soul spatial shifting, a change brought about by the formal manifestation of the Spirit Palace and the ability of the soul to step out; now that her divine sense was obstructed, although she could still move with a thought, it was limited to a few zhang around her.

I can't dodge it at all...

Boom!

The massive earth cannon, truly like a falling meteorite, plummeted down, causing the ground to surge in waves; the impact expanded violently, tearing apart the ordinary buildings along the entire nearby street, and only a few scattered special buildings, relying on their extra reinforcement, were barely able to escape disaster.

A huge, ugly crater appeared on the ground, with smoke curling and residual mana scattering; at its bottom lay bits of flesh and blood, rapidly turning to ash.

(End of this chapter)