Chapter 217: Fight Three Hundred Rounds Again

Listening to Master Kurong’s words, Li Lin laughed: “So the Fomen plans to defect to the rebel Qin. Aren’t you afraid the authorities will find out?”

Master Kurong chuckled indifferently. “We’re afraid, of course—but some things can’t wait any longer. Besides, you’ve all joined the Prince of Qin’s side; the authorities won’t know.”

Li Lin turned his gaze toward the forest’s edge—no Daoists had entered. They must have lost.

Whether annihilated or driven off, he didn’t know.

Then Li Lin Shouhui his gaze and said: “Master, let these martial artists go. Let them leave, and I’ll come with you.”

The martial artists heard this and stared at Li Lin, puzzled or suspicious.

Master Kurong’s expression froze, then darkened.

He couldn’t possibly let them go.

They were all names on the oath of allegiance—all tied to the Fomen’s karmic debts. How could he release them?

This man wasn’t on the oath.

His presence or absence made no difference to the Fomen’s grand scheme.

Thinking this, Master Kurong smiled: “If County Magistrate Li is willing to bind his own hands, we shall release all martial brethren.”

Li Lin laughed: “No. I don’t trust Shaolin Temple. You release them first. Then I’ll bind myself.”

“Shaolin Temple has a thousand-year reputation…”

“I’m the government!”

Li Lin’s single sentence silenced their sophistry.

Master Kurong closed his eyes slightly—then opened them to find himself lunging forward.

Ambush!

His speed was terrifying—in the blink of an eye, he was within a zhang of Li Lin.

He brought down his golden-copper staff.

Though they stood a zhang apart, a phantom image lengthened the staff’s reach instantly to a full zhang.

But at that moment, a purple spear pierced through, blocking the staff.

Their weapons shifted positions rapidly, reappearing elsewhere in an instant.

Afterimages flickered in the air.

The force they generated rippled around them.

Neither moved—only the phantom spear shadows and staff illusions clashed within the space between them.

Amid the surging winds, both men’s expressions grew graver.

After roughly ten breaths, Li Lin stepped back, wiping a bead of blood from his lips.

Master Kurong’s face turned ashen, his forehead slick with cold sweat.

He hadn’t retreated—but everyone could see he was worse injured.

Because if you have time to wipe away blood from your mouth, you still have room to breathe.

Two old monks stepped forward, flanking Master Kurong to steady his trembling body.

Master Kurong closed his eyes: “Heroes emerge in youth. Old monk has lost. Admirable. Admirable.”

Everyone stared at Li Lin in shock.

Master Kurong was famed in the martial world as a formidable fighter.

Not the absolute peak, but a second-tier martial artist—in government terms, a fifth-rank expert.

Yet Master Kurong smiled: “But County Magistrate Li, you no longer hold a spear. Come with us now.”

His eyes gleamed with triumph.

In truth, from the start, Master Kurong knew he could only match Li Lin evenly.

In the first clash, he realized the man’s perfected spear intent was deeply “strange.”

Though only newly perfected, his spiritual energy was astonishingly vast—and unnaturally heavy!

He didn’t know what cultivation art Li Lin practiced, but it was terrifying.

Had Li Lin wielded a normal spear, Master Kurong would already have lost.

But Li Lin used a paper spear—and that gave him an opening.

He deliberately used more “crushing” strikes, hammering Li Lin’s paper spear until it was riddled with “cracks.”

Now, Li Lin’s paper spear was, as Master Kurong said, reduced to paper shreds.

Around them, not a single intact paper spear remained.

Li Lin looked at the martial artists: “Does anyone have a spear to lend me?”

Among the hundred-plus, a few carried spears.

But… no one was willing to throw theirs to Li Lin.

They believed they needed weapons for self-defense.

Give it to him—what would they use?

Seeing the martial artists remain motionless, Master Kurong smiled wider.

“County Magistrate Li, please…”

But at that moment, a rustling sound came from behind Li Lin.

A paper figure with a human torso and serpent tail appeared beside him.

Everyone recognized it—the same paper figure that had rescued the mother and child veiled in the ghostly robe.

Impossible to forget—it was too unusual.

Master Kurong hadn’t seen it—he arrived later.

Now, seeing the Tree Immortal Lady, his eyes widened: “What demon is this… a paper figure? How can a paper figure radiate such malevolent energy!”

The Tree Immortal Lady ignored Master Kurong. In her “hands,” she still dragged a large sheet of paper.

She crumpled and rolled it—then it became a paper spear.

Longer and thicker than the previous ones.

She laid it horizontally before Li Lin.

“Thank you, Immortal Lady.” Li Lin took the paper spear and smiled: “Monk, shall we have a second round?”

Master Kurong said nothing—but the two old monks stepped forward.

“Master, this time we two shall face you. Please, grant us your skill.”

“Two against one? Unfair.”

But the two old monks ignored him, advancing together.

At that moment, a gust of wind swept past.

The long serpent tail forced the two monks to halt.

The Tree Immortal Lady moved to advance, but Li Lin raised his hand to stop her: “Immortal Lady, they’re living beings. You now receive incense offerings at the True Lord Temple—killing harms your spirit. Return and guard those two for me.”

The Tree Immortal Lady stared at him, expression stubborn.

Li Lin’s tone turned stern: “Good girl. Obey.”

Frustrated and helpless, the Tree Immortal Lady slammed her long tail hard against the ground, then turned away.

With her departure, the atmosphere eased.

After all, the Tree Immortal Lady’s form was deeply “uncanny” to many.

Li Lin scanned the crowd: “Martial friends, I’ll keep Master Kurong and these two monks occupied. Whether you flee or stay—that’s up to you.”

Saying this, he slapped a yellow talisman onto his own body.

Then he charged forward.

This time, Li Lin unleashed his full power—his paper spear, over a zhang long, whipped through the air in streaks of purple afterimages.

Each phantom shadow stretched nearly three zhang long, glowing brilliantly in the dark.

Master Kurong and the two old monks were forced into steady retreat.

“How can this be… so powerful!”

The three monks fought desperately, but could only defend—no opening to attack.

Three zhang versus one zhang… advantage is mine.

After blocking a dozen strikes, one old monk was flung back by the spear, spitting blood.

At that moment, the martial artists finally moved.

Ji Feng gave Li Lin a long look, then led the Qingcheng Sect out first.

Seeing someone lead, the martial artists didn’t hesitate—they surged outward too.

Master Kurong blocked another spear shadow, stepped back two paces, and roared: “Stop them! These people are needed by the Prince of Qin!”

If all these martial artists escaped, Shaolin Temple’s reputation would be ruined.

Hearing this, the martial artists ran even faster.

They didn’t charge head-on—instead, they seized any opening to flee, hurling daggers and darting away.

Though their collective strength paled beside Shaolin’s two dozen experts, blocking a hundred determined escapees was still extremely difficult.

After flinging one old monk away with a spear strike, Li Lin himself leapt backward.

He had no intention of risking himself for these martial artists.

Helping them earlier was only to keep Shaolin’s men too busy to surround him.

Plainly put—they were his bait.

Seeing Li Lin retreat, Master Kurong screamed: “County Magistrate Li! If you have the guts, come back and fight me three hundred rounds again!”

(End of chapter)